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

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

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

At 9:00 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing the San Diego State Aztecs (636) minus the points versus the Colorado State Rams (635). THE SITUATION: San Diego State (18-6) saw their two-game winning streak snapped in a 70-66 loss in overtime at Nevada as a 2-point underdog on Friday. Colorado State (19-5) is on a four-game winning streak after their 66-47 win against San Jose State as a 15-point favorite on Friday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE AZTECS MINUS THE POINTS: San Diego State allowed the Wolf Pack to make 46.5% of their shots in that game last week which was the second-worst defensive effort in three last 15 contests. They only made 40.8% of their shots as well in the loss which was the worst shooting effort in their last seven contests. The Aztecs should play better tonight as they have covered the point spread in 8 of their last 11 games after a straight-up loss against a Mountain West Conference rival — and they have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games after a straight loss on the road to a conference opponent. They have also covered the point spread in 6 straight home games after winning 15 or more of their last 20 games. Now after playing their last two games on the road, they return home where they have a perfect 11-0 record with an average winning margin of +17.0 Points-Per-Game. San Diego State should shoot better back on their home court where they are making 46.1% of their shots. But it is the Aztecs' defense that thrives when playing at home where they rank ninth in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. They hold their guests to 38.6% shooting including just a 28.6% clip from behind the arc resulting in 60.2 PPG. San Diego State has covered the point spread in 6 of their 9 board home games this season — and they have also covered the point spread in 34 of their last 4 home games when favored by 3.5 to 6 points. Colorado State held the Spartans to just 32.8% shooting which was the best defensive effort in their last 18 contests. The Rams have covered the point spread in four straight games — but they have then failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after covering the point spread in four of their last five games. And while they have played three straight Unders, they have then failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games after playing three or more Unders in a row. Colorado State makes eight shots from behind the arc per game — but the Aztecs have covered the point spread in 18 of their last 23 games after 15 games into the season against teams who make eight or more 3s per game. And while San Diego State has an opponent’s field goal percentage of 41.1% this season, the Rams have failed to cover the point spread in 11 of their last 16 games after 15 games into the season against teams who hold their opponents to no higher than 42%. Now Colorado State goes back on the road where they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 road games with the Total set in the 140s — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 6 straight road games with the Total set from 140 to 144.5. Furthermore, the Rams have failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 15 road games as an underdog or a pick ‘em — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 12 road games as an underdog of six points or less or as a pick ‘em. Additionally, Colorado State has failed to cover the point spread in 16 of their last 25 games as a dog — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 20 of their last 31 games after 15 games into the season against teams with a winning record.

FINAL TAKE: The Rams shot 53.8% from the field in their 79-71 win at home against San Diego State on January 30th which was the worst defensive effort of the season for the Aztecs — so head coach Brian Dutcher will have his team ready to go on the defensive end of the court tonight. San Diego State has covered the point spread in 5 of their last 8 games when avenging a loss on the road this season. 10* CBB Tuesday Late Show Bailout with the San Diego State Aztecs (636) minus the points versus the Colorado State Rams (635). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:00 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing the Lehigh Mountain Hawks (306629) plus the point(s) versus the Bucknell Bison (306630). THE SITUATION: Lehigh (8-15) snapped their two-game losing streak with their 94-90 win in double overtime against Lafayette as a 3.5-point favorite on Saturday. Bucknell (10-15) has lost two of their last three games after their 77-62 upset loss at home against Boston University as a 4.5-point favorite on Saturday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE MOUNTAIN HAWKS PLUS THE POINT(S): Lehigh survived two overtimes on Saturday despite allowing the Leopards to make 55.6% of their shots in what was the worst defensive effort of the season. The Mountain Hawks have covered the point spread in 8 of their last 11 games after losing two of their last three games. This is Lehigh’s third game since Wednesday — and they have covered the point spread in 17 of their last 25 games when playing their third game in seven days. This team appears to be finding itself under Dr. Brett Reed in his 17th year as the head coach. His team got hot in the second half of conference play last year with the Mountain Hawks finishing tied for second place in the Patriot League. While Lehigh has just a 5-7 record in conference play this season, they rank fourth in the league in Adjusted Net Efficiency. The Mountain Hawks are 13th in the nation by limiting their opponents to pulling down only 23.9% of their missed shots. They also lead in the Patriot League in getting to the free throw line and in making 73.6% of their shots at the charity stripe — and now they play a Bison team that ranks ninth in the league in putting their opponents on the free throw line. Now after playing their last two games at home, they go back on the road where they have covered the point spread in 17 of their last 20 road games after playing their last two games at home. They have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 8 road games after losing two of their last three games. Additionally, they have covered the point spread in 9 of their last 13 games on the road — and they have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 9 road games with the Total set in the 140s. Furthermore, Lehigh has covered the point spread in 9 of their last 11 games as an underdog — and they have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 10 road games as an underdog or as a pick ‘em. Bucknell averages 53 shots per game — and the Mountain Hawks have covered the point spread in 11 of their last 12 road games against teams who do not attempt more than 53 shots per game. Lehigh has also covered the point spread in 16 of their last 23 games against teams with a losing record after 15 games into the season — and they have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after 15 games into the season against teams winning 40-49% of their games. The Bison have a 7-5 record in the Patriot League — and they rank third in Adjusted Efficiency Margin under rookie head coach John Griffin III. But Bucknell has failed to cover the point spread in 18 of their last 24 games after an upset loss — as they have covered the point spread in 16 of their last 20 games after an upset loss to a conference rival. They have also failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after an upset loss by double-digits. The Bison rank eighth in the Patriot League by turning the ball over in 18.1% of their possessions — and Lehigh ranks second in the conference by forcing turnovers in 17.8% of their opponents' possessions. Griffin has yet to re-establish a home-court advantage for Bucknell as they have just a 4-7 record at home while getting outscored by -3.6 net Points-Per-Game. The Bison have failed to cover the point spread in 11 of their last 18 home games when favored or a pick ‘em.

FINAL TAKE: Lehigh wants to avenge an 86-80 upset loss at home against Bucknell as a 5-point favorite on January 10th. The Mountain Hawks have covered the point spread in 8 of their 11 opportunities for revenge this season — and they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games when avenging a loss where they gave up 75 or more points. 25* CBB Patriot League Underdog of the Year with the Lehigh Mountain Hawks (306629) plus the point(s) versus the Bucknell Bison (306630). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:30 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Idaho Vandals (791) and the Eastern Washington Eagles (792). THE SITUATION: Idaho (9-14) is on a two-game winning streak after their 61-45 upset victory at Sacramento State as a 5.5-point underdog on Monday. Eastern Washington (15-8) has won two games in a row as well as 11 of their last 12 contests after their 90-77 victory at Portland State as a 5.5-point favorite on Monday.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Vandals had lost eight games in a row before pulling off two straight upset victories. They made 53.7% of their shots on Monday which was the third straight game where they made at least 50.9% of their shots. But the outlier performance in that game was holding Sacramento State to just 32.6% shooting which was the best defensive effort in their last 20 contests. Idaho has still allowed their last five opponents to shoot 49.4% from the field. They rank 317th in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. The Vandals have played 32 of their last 48 games Over the Total after winning two games in a row against conference rivals. They have played 6 of their last 9 games Over the Total after a game that did not see more than 125 combined points. And while that game finished below the 132-point total, they have then played 20 of their last 28 games Over the Total after playing an Under in their last game. They stay on the road where they are allowing their opponents to make 48.7% of their shots including 36.4% of their 3-pointers resulting in 74.3 Points-Per-Game. The Vandals have played 7 of their last 9 road games Over the Total. They have played 16 of their last 22 games Over the Total as a double-digit underdog including all five of those circumstances this season. They have also played 12 of their last 18 games Over the Total against teams winning 60-80% of their games. Eastern Washington has played 11 of their last 15 games Over the Total after 15 games into the season against teams winning 20-40% of their games. They only made 43.1% of their shots on Monday which was the worst shooting effort in their last 12 contests. They did still convert 13 of their 30 shots from behind the arc — and they have played 6 of their last 9 games Over the Total after making 13 or more shots from 3-point range in their last game. The Eagles rank 14th in the nation with an effective field goal percentage of 56.1% — and they rank in the top 22 in the nation in both 3-point and 2-point shooting. They face a Vandals team that ranks 332nd in the nation with an opponent’s effective field goal percentage of 53.4%. Eastern Washington also leads the Big Sky Conference in Adjusted Possessions per game and Average Possession Length in conference play. They have played 17 of their last 24 games Over the Total after a straight-up win in conference play — and they have played 6 of their last 9 games Over the Total after a double-digit victory. Additionally, they have played 6 straight home games Over the Total after winning four of their last five games. They return home where they are making 54.7% of their shots and 40.1% of their 3-pointers resulting in 90.1 Points-Per-Game. The Eagles have played 18 of their last 26 games at home Over the Total — and they have played 9 of their last 12 home games Over the Total with the Total set in the 140s.

FINAL TAKE: Idaho wants to avenge a 79-58 loss at home to Eastern Washington as a 7-point home underdog on January 13th — and they have played 8 of their last 12 games Over the Total when playing with revenge from a double-digit loss at home. 10* CBB Saturday Night Discounted O/U Deal with Over the Total in the game between the Idaho Vandals (791) and the Eastern Washington Eagles (792). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 6:00 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the Bradley Braves (758) minus the points versus the Drake Bulldogs (757). THE SITUATION: Bradley (17-7) saw their two-game winning streak snapped in a 73-70 upset loss at Evansville as a 9-point favorite on Wednesday. Drake (19-5) has won three of their last four games after their 92-88 win against Southern Illinois as a 10-point favorite on Wednesday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE BRAVES MINUS THE POINTS: Bradley only made 42.4% of their shots on Wednesday which was the worst shooting effort in their last 11 contests. But the Braves have covered the point spread in 8 of their last 11 games after a straight-up loss on the road to a Missouri Valley Conference rival. It was a rare bad day at the offense for this team regarding shooting the basketball — they rank 12th in the nation with an effective field goal percentage of 56.5%. They also rank 16th in the nation by nailing 38.1% of their shots from behind the arc — and they lead the Missouri Valley Conference by making 39.6% of their 3-pointers in conference play. After playing their last two games on the road, they return home where they have a 10-2 record with an average winning margin of +13.8 net Points-Per-Game. They are making 49.3% of their shots at home resulting in 79.2 PPG. They are also playing well on the other end of the court where they are holding their guests to just 40.6% shooting resulting in 65.4 PPG. Bradley has covered the point spread in 29 of their last 38 games at home — and they have covered the point spread in 20 of their last 25 games at home when favored or a pick ‘em. Drake made 56.9% of their shots on Wednesday in what was the best shooting effort in their last five games. But the Bulldogs have failed to cover the point spread in 18 of their last 2 games after a win at home — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after a straight-up win at home against a conference river. Additionally, they have failed to cover the point spread in 14 of their last 17 games on the road after a win where they scored 80 or more points — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 11 games after a win at home where they scored 85 or more points. They have also failed to cover the point spread in 26 of their last 39 games on the road where they won straight-up but did not cover the point spread as the favorite. Drake is second in the nation in defensive rebounding — but they will be challenged by the Braves who lead the Missouri Valley by pulling down 31.1% of their missed shots. The Bulldogs’ defense takes a step back when they are playing on the road. Their opponents sport an effective field goal percentage of 52.8% when they are playing away from home, ranking 238th in the nation — and Drake ranks no higher than 215th in the nation in opponent 3-point shooting and opponent 2-point shooting when they are away from home. The Bulldogs have failed to cover the point spread in 18 of their last 28 games away from home — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 8 road games when an underdog of up to six points or as a pick ‘em. They have also failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 16 games as an underdog overall.

FINAL TAKE: This is Bradley’s first opportunity to play Drake since their 77-51 loss to them as a 2-point underdog in the Championship Game of the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament last March 5th which cost them a spot in the NCAA Tournament. The Braves have covered the point spread in 10 of their last 11 games at home after 15 games into the season against teams with a winning record. 25* CBB Missouri Valley Conference Game of the Year with the Bradley Braves (758) minus the points versus the Drake Bulldogs (757). Best of luck for us — Frank.

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

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

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

At 8:00 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing the Nevada Wolf Pack (888) minus the point(s) versus the San Diego State Aztecs (887). THE SITUATION: Nevada (18-5) has won two straight games as well as three of their last four contests after their 77-63 upset win at Utah State as a 5.5-point underdog on Tuesday. San Diego State (18-5) has won two games in a row after their 77-64 victory at the Air Force as a 9.5-point favorite on Tuesday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE  WOLF PACK MINUS THE POINTS: The Atzecs nailed 51.0% of their shots on Tuesday which was the best shooting effort in their last nine games. But this is now head coach Brian Dutcher’s third game since Saturday — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 straight games when playing for the third time in seven days. San Diego State has an 11-0 record at home where they boast the nation’s tenth-best defense in terms of Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. But the Aztecs are just 7-5 away from home — and their play on defense plummets to just ranking 59th in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. They also only make 44.4% of their shots on the road with the biggest drop-off coming inside the arc. While San Diego State nails 56.8% of their 2-point shots when playing at home, that number drops to a 49.5% mark inside the arc when playing on the road. The Aztecs have failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 9 games on the road — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 8 road games as an underdog of up to six points or as a pick ‘em. They have also covered the point spread in 4 straight road games when listed in the +/- 3-point range. Nevada registered a quality victory against the Aggies this week — but head coach Steve Alford needs a few more high-quality wins for their NCAA Tournament resume and this would be a signature victory for this team. I remain bullish on the Wolf Pack that we have backed a few times already this season. Nevada is a very experienced team that ranks seventh in the nation in returning Division I experience from their team that won 22 games that lost to Arizona State in a First Four game in the NCAA Tournament. They rank Nevada ranks 39th in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. This group has a high floor given the strong fundamentals that he has instilled into this team. The Wolf Pack ranks 23rd in the nation by turning the ball over in 14.1% of their possessions. They also get to the free throw line as they rank ninth in the nation in free throw rate. Nevada returns home where they have an 11-1 record this season with an average winning margin of +18.4 Points-Per-Game. They hold their guests to just 38.4% shooting resulting in 61.5 PPG. They also make 38.5% of their shots at home including 32.3% of their 3-pointers resulting in 61.3 PPG. One of the weaknesses of this team is their shooting — they rank last in the Mountain West Conference by making only 49.8% of their shots inside the arc. But they are more proficient when playing at home where they make 51.6% of their 2-pointers — and they rank 45th in the nation by nailing 39.1% of their 3-pointers when on their home court. The Wolf Pack have covered the point spread in 17 of their last 24 games at home — and they have covered the point spread in 11 of their last 17 games when favored. Additionally, they have covered the point spread in 11 of their last 14 games when listed in the +/- 3-point range. They should build off their momentum from their victory against Utah State as they have covered the point spread in 10 of their last 16 games after a straight-up win — and they have covered the point spread in 22 of their last 32 games after a point spread win.

FINAL TAKE: Nevada will have revenge on their mind after losing by a 71-59 score on the road back on January 17th. Alford’s teams have covered the point spread in 8 of his 10 head-to-head encounters against Dutcher — and his teams cover that point spread by an average of +4.05 points. Lastly, the Wolf Pack have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games against teams winning 60-80% of their games — and the Aztecs have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 6 games against teams winning 60-80% of their games. 10* CBB San Diego State-Nevada CBS Sports Network Special with the Nevada Wolf Pack (888) minus the point(s) versus the San Diego State Aztecs (887). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:00 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Dayton Flyers (885) and the VCU Rams (886). THE SITUATION: Dayton (19-3) has won three straight games as well as 16 of their last 17 contests after their 94-79 victory at Saint Joseph’s as a 2-point favorite on Tuesday. VCU (15-8) has won two straight games as well as seven of their last eight contests after their 75-60 win at Fordham as a 4-point favorite on Tuesday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Flyers nailed 56.9% of their shots on Tuesday in what was their best shooting effort of the season. But Dayton has then played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after scoring 85 or more points in their last game. They also allowed the Hawks to make 48.4% of their shots which was the worst defensive effort in their last 18 contests. The Flyers still rank second in the Atlantic 10 in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency in conference play — and they have played 7 of their last 11 games Under the Total after a double-digit win. Now they stay on the road where they have played 8 of their last 10 games Under the Total when favored by up to six points or as a pick ‘em. VCU made 51.0% of their shots on Tuesday which was the best shooting performance in their last 16 contests. And despite holding the Rams to just 38.3% shooting, that was the worst defensive effort in their last four contests. VCU has played 9 of their last 11 games Under the Total after winning on the road in their last game. They have played 13 of their last 18 games Under the Total after winning two straight games against A-10 rivals. And while they have covered the point spread in two straight games they have then played 13 of their last 18 games Under the Total after covering the point spread in two or more games in a row.

FINAL TAKE: The Flyers have played 4 straight Unders on the road with the Total set in the 130s — and the Rams have played 24 of their last 37 games Under the Total with the Total set in the 130s. 8* CBB Friday Daily Discounted O/U Deal with Under the Total in the game between Dayton Flyers (885) and the VCU Rams (886). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:00 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing the Morehead State Eagles (828) minus the points versus the SIU-Edwardsville Cougars (827). THE SITUATION: Morehead State (18-5) has won five games in a row after their 67-60 victory at Tennessee Tech as an 11-point favorite on Saturday. SIU-Edwardsville (13-10) had their two-game winning streak snapped in a 90-79 upset loss at UT-Martin as a 1.5-point favorite on Saturday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE EAGLES MINUS THE POINTS: Morehead State only made 42.9% of their shots on Saturday which was the worst shooting effort in their last five contests. The Eagles should build off their momentum as they have covered the point spread in 9 of their last 10 home games after a straight-up victory against an Ohio Valley Conference rival. They have also covered the point spread in 15 of their last 21 games after not allowing more than 60 points in their last game. And in their last 13 games after winning five or six of their last seven games, they have then covered the point spread 11 times. Morehead State leads the Ohio Valley in both Adjusted Offensive Efficiency and Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. They return home where they have a 10-0 record with an average winning margin of +31.0 Points-Per-Game. They should shoot better tonight since they are nailing  50.8% of their shots and 37.5% of their shots from behind the arc en route to scoring 86.2 PPG. The Eagles have covered the point spread in 10 straight games at home with the Total set in the 130s. They have also covered the point spread in 10 of their last 12 games when favored. SIU-Edwardsville has failed to cover the point spread in 8 straight road games after an upset loss in conference play. And while they have won five of their last seven games, they have then failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after winning four or five of their last six games. They go back on the road where they have a 3-6 record while getting outscored by -6.5 PPG. They only make 39.1% of their shots away from home. The Cougars have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 8 games on the road.

FINAL TAKE: Morehead State wants to avenge a 61-48 upset loss on the road to SIU-Edwardsville on January 13th as a 5-point road favorite — and the Eagles have covered the point spread in 9 of their last 11 games when playing with revenge. 8* CBB Blowout Bookie Buster with the Morehead State Eagles (828) minus the points versus the SIU-Edwardsville Cougars (827). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:00 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing the Utah Valley Wolverines (800) minus the points versus Tarleton State (799). THE SITUATION: Utah Valley (9-13) has lost three straight games as well as six of their last seven after an 86-67 loss at home to Grand Canyon as a 5-point underdog on Saturday. Tarleton State (15-7) has won three straight games as well as six of their last seven contests after their 75-64 victory against Stephen F. Austin as a 2-point favorite on Saturday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE WOLVERINES MINUS THE POINTS: Utah Valley only made 37.3% of their shots on Saturday which was the worst shooting effort in their last four contests. The Wolverines have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games after a loss by 15 or more points. They have also covered the point spread in 21 of their last 29 games after a point spread loss including five of those seven contests this season. And while they have given up 77 and 86 points in their last two games, they have then covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after allowing 75 or more points in two or more games in a row. They stay at home where they have played only twice in their previous seven games — and five of their six losses during their current 1-6 run have been on the road. Utah Valley has a 7-2 record at home with an average winning margin of +7.6 Points-Per-Game. They hold their opponents to 41.9% shooting which results in 67.4 PPG. The Wolverines have covered the point spread in 15 of their last 21 home games when favored or a pick ‘em — and they have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 8 home games when favored by six points or less or are a pick ‘em. Furthermore, they have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 8 home games with the Total set in the 135-139.5 point range. Utah Valley leads the Western Athletic Conference in getting to the free throw line when playing at home. They also pull down 29.9% of their missed shots in conference play at home — and the Texans rank 10th in the WAC by allowing their opponents to rebound 37.0% of their missed shots when on the road against conference opponents. Tarleton State made 51.2% of their shots on Saturday while holding the Lumberjacks to just 41.2% shooting — and both those marks were their best efforts in their last five games. But the Texans have failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 8 games after winning two or more games in a row against conference opponents. They have also failed to cover the point spread in 7 straight games after winning three or more games in a row. They have scored 75 or more points in three straight contests — but they have then failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 11 games after scoring 75 or more points in two or more games in a row. Tarleton State has covered the point spread in three straight games and four of their last five games — but they have then failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after covering the point spread in three or more games in a row. They have also failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 9 games after covering the point spread in four or five of their last six games. They go back on the road where they only make 41.8% of their shots and just 26.6% of their shots from behind the arc. The Texans have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 8 road games as an underdog of up to six points or as a pick ‘em.

FINAL TAKE: Utah Valley has covered the point spread in 29 of their last 42 games when favored. 10* CBB Thursday Daily Discounted Deal with the Utah Valley Wolverines (800) minus the points versus Tarleton State (799). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:00 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing the Davidson Bulldogs (685) plus the points versus the Duquesne Dukes (686). THE SITUATION: Davidson (12-9) has lost two games in a row after their 76-63 loss at Loyola-Chicago as a 5-point underdog on Sunday. Duquesne (13-8) has won four straight games after their 85-71 victory as a 5.5-point favorite on Saturday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE BULLDOGS PLUS THE POINTS: Davidson allowed the Ramblers to nail 46.3% of their shots on Sunday which was the worst defensive effort in their last five contests. Despite that performance, they have still held their last five opponents to just 39.1% shooting. The Bulldogs have endured several close losses — two of their setbacks were by one scoring possession and two more of their losses were in overtime. Davidson has rebounded to cover the point spread in 42 of their last 62 games after losing on the road to a conference rival. They have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after losing two games in a row to conference opponents. Additionally, the Bulldogs have covered the point spread in 9 of their last 14 games after losing three of their last four games — and they have covered the point spread in 23 of their last 33 road games after losing three of their last four games. Davidson has been without David Skogman the last two games — and the 6’10 senior remains questionable with a foot injury. This play would probably be higher graded if there was confirmation he was returning to action tonight — but this situation remains worthy of investment. While the Bulldogs have not scored more than 63 points in their last two games, they have then covered the point spread in 18 of their last 26 games after failing to score more than 65 points in two or more games in a row. They stay on the road where they have a 5-5 record — and they have covered 6 straight road games after playing on the road in their last contest. Duquesne nailed 52.8% of their shots on Saturday in what was their best shooting effort of the season. The Dukes still rank last in the Atlantic 10 Conference in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency in conference play. Duquesne has failed to cover the point spread in 11 of their last 16 games after scoring 80 or more points in their last game. They have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a straight-up loss on the road. Additionally, the Dukes have failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 12 games after winning three or more games in a row — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games after winning four or five of their last six contests. And while their game with Rhode Island finished above the 146.5 point total, they have then failed to cover the point spread in 14 of their last 17 home games after playing a game that finished Over the Total. They are only making 42.9% of their shots when playing at home — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 12 of their last 17 home games with the Total set in the 130s. In their last five games, Duquesne is only making 41.8% of their shots resulting in 68.2 Points-Per-Game — and those are -4.4 PPG and -1.2 % below their season averages.

FINAL TAKE: Davidson beat Maryland on a neutral court earlier this season (although mentioning the Terrapins gives me terrible flashbacks to their painful offensive performance last night — and I knew what I was getting into when endorsing them). The Dukes have failed to cover the point spread in 29 of their last 45 games at home — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 11 home games when favored. 10* CBB Wednesday Daily Discounted Deal with the Davidson Bulldogs (685) plus the points versus the Duquesne Dukes (686). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:00 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing the Western Carolina Catamounts (680) minus the points versus The Citadel Bulldogs (679). THE SITUATION: Western Carolina (16-7) has lost two straight games as well as five of their last six contests after their 88-86 upset loss in overtime at Wofford on Saturday. The Citadel (9-14) has lost three games in a row and nine of their last ten after a 62-60 loss at East Tennessee State.

REASONS TO TAKE THE CATAMOUNTS MINUS THE POINTS: Western Carolina comes off a frustrating loss where they lost by only two points in overtime despite only shooting 42.4% from the field and allowing the Terriers to nail 57.6% of their shots. The Catamounts have covered the point spread in 7 straight home games after a game where they did not shoot better than 43% while allowing their opponent to make 57% or more of their shots from the field. They have also covered the point spread in 11 of their last 14 home games after a straight-up loss — and they have covered the point spread in 6 straight home games after allowing 85 or more points in their last game. Western Carolina stayed competitive against Wofford by making 19 of their 23 shots from the free throw line — and they also nailed 11 of their 25 (44%) of their shots from behind the arc. They return home where they rank 22nd in the nation by making 40.2% of their 3-pointers. The Catamounts make 48.7% of their shots at home resulting in 84.2 Points-Per-Game -- and they are outscoring their guests by +14.6 PPG by holding them to just 40.3% shooting. Western Carolina has lost two games in overtime during the recent string of bad luck — their three other losses were by six, four, and three points. The Citadel held the Buccaneers to just 39.3% shooting in what was the best defensive effort in their last 11 contests. But they only made four of their 23 shots (17.4%) from behind the arc in that game — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games after not making more than 20% of their shots from 3-point range in their last contest. The Bulldogs have covered the point spread in two straight games — but they have then failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 13 games after covering the point spread in two or more games in a row. They have also failed to cover the point spread in 12 of their last 16 games after losing three of their last four contests. The Citadel ranks 283rd in the nation in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency when playing away from home. The Catamounts hold their opponents to 41.1% shooting — and the Bulldogs have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games against teams with an opponent’s field goal percentage of 42% or lower.

FINAL TAKE: The Citadel has failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 8 games against teams with a winning record — and Western Carolina has covered the point spread in 8 of their last 11 games after 15 games into the season against teams with a losing record. 8* CBB Blowout Bookie Buster with the Western Carolina Catamounts (680) minus the points versus The Citadel Bulldogs (679). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 6:30 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing the Maryland Terrapins (602) minus the points versus the Rutgers Scarlet Knights (601). THE SITUATION: Maryland (13-9) had their two-game winning streak snapped in a 63-4 loss at Michigan State as a 6-point underdog on Saturday. Rutgers (11-10) snapped their three-game losing streak with a 69-59 upset loss at Michigan as a 4.5-point underdog on Saturday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE TERRAPINS MINUS THE POINTS: These two teams are mirror images of each other. Both squads play ferocious defense. Both head coaches bragged about the improved athleticism on the roster this season. Neither team can hit the side of the barn when shooting the basketball. And both teams are underachieving relative to their preseason NCAA Tournament aspirations — each squad’s highest-profile victory came against Nebraska so far this season. Maryland only made 30.9% of their shots on Saturday which was the worst shooting effort in their last 18 games. They also allowed the Spartans to make 44.4% of their shots which was the worst defensive effort in their last eight contests. But the Terrapins have covered the point spread in 17 of their last 28 games after a straight-up loss. And while they have covered the point spread in five of their last seven games, they have then covered the point spread in 30 of their last 41 home games after covering the point spread in five or six of their last seven games. Maryland relies too much on isolation plays when they have the basketball. But this approach does get them second-chance scoring opportunities and shots at the free-throw line — and these tactics should work against the Scarlet Knights.  The Terrapins rank 29th in the nation by pulling down 36.7% of their missed shots when playing at home — and Rutgers ranks 280th in the country by allowing their opponents to rebound 32.6% of their misses when playing away from home. Maryland also ranks 18th in the nation in getting to the free throw line — and the Scarlet Knights are middle of the pack sixth in the Big Ten in defensive free throw rate in conference play. The Terrapins return home where they have a 10-2 record with an average winning margin of +13.9 net Points-Per-Game. Their lone losses were to Purdue and Michigan State which rank 2nd and 17th in the nation in Adjusted Net Efficiency using Ken Pomeroy’s metrics. Maryland holds their guests to 40.5% shooting which results in only 62.3 PPG. The Terps have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 9 home games when laying 6.5 to 12 points. Maryland ranks 6th in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency — and they lead the Big Ten in that metric in conference play. They also lead the Big Ten with an opponent’s effective field goal percentage (eFG) of 46.8%. Now here comes Rutgers who ranks 300th in the nation and last in the Big Ten in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency. The Scarlet Knights are even worse at shooting the basketball — they rank 358th in the nation with an eFG of 43.3% and are last in the Big Ten with their 41.2% eFG. They rallied from a 15-point halftime deficit to upset an implosion Wolverines team on Saturday — but they have then failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 9 games after a point spread win. They have also failed to cover the point spread in 12 of their last 18 games after a double-digit win on the road. They stay on the road where they have a 2-7 record with an average losing margin of -8.1 PPG. Rutgers shoots only 39.0% on the road with a 30.3% clip from behind the arc resulting in 64.9 PPG. They are giving up 73.0 PPG away from home because their opponents are managing to make 44.1% of their shots which is not too shabby. The Scarlet Knights rank third in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency — but their opponent’s effective goal percentage of 50.4% away from home drops to 105th in the nation. Rutgers has failed to cover the point spread in 18 of their last 30 games on the road.

FINAL TAKE: Nine of the Terrapins' 12 victories at home against Division I opponents have been by nine or more points. They are better equipped to grind out these expected lower-scoring games. Maryland has covered the point spread in 4 straight games with the Total set at 129.5 or lower — and Rutgers has failed to cover the point spread in 3 of their last 4 road games with the Total set no higher than 129.5. 10* CBB Blowout Bookie Buster with the Maryland Terrapins (602) minus the points versus the Rutgers Scarlet Knights (601). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 6:00 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the Indiana State Sycamores (730) minus the points versus the Drake Bulldogs (729). THE SITUATION: Indiana State (19-3) is on a six-game winning streak after their 78-72 win at Belmont as an 8-point favorite on Wednesday. Drake (18-4) has won two in a row and six of their last seven after their 81-70 victory as a 20.5-point favorite on Wednesday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE SYCAMORES MINUS THE POINTS: Indiana State ranks 11th in the nation in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency based mostly on them being perhaps the best pure shooting team in the country. They lead the nation with an effective field goal percentage of 61.1% — and they rank in the top four in the country in 3-point shooting, 2-point shooting, and free throw shooting. The Sycamores should build off their momentum as they have covered the point spread in 11 of their last 14 games after a straight-up win on the road — and they have covered the point spread in 22 of their last 28 games after a straight-up win against a Missouri Valley Conference opponent. They return home where they have a 9-0 record with an average winning margin of +26.5 net Points-Per-Game — and they rank 15th in the nation in Adjusted Net Efficiency when playing on their home court. They are holding their guests to 40.6% shooting at home resulting in 64.1 PPG. They are also making 52.6% of their shots at home including 41.4% of their shots from behind the arc resulting in 90.6 PPG. Indiana State has covered the point spread in 7 of their last 8 games at home — and they have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 9 home games with the Total set in the 150s. The Sycamores have also covered the point spread in 12 of their last 17 games when favored. Drake has failed to cover the point spread in 17 of their last 24 games after a straight-up win at home — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 14 of their last 18 games after a double-digit win on their home court. They outrebounded the Beacons by a 48-30 margin in that contest — but they have failed to cover the point spread in 6 straight games after getting outrebounding their previous opponent by +15 or more boards. They have also failed to cover the point spread in 13 of their last 16 road games after scoring 80 or more points in their last game. Now after playing their last two games at home, they go back on the road where they have lost all four of their games this season. The Bulldogs have failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 9 road games after winning their previous two games at home. They have also failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 road games as an underdog of up to six points or as a pick ‘em. Drake’s defense wanes when playing away from home — they rank 131st in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency when playing away from home. They can struggle to stop good shooters — they rank  255th in the nation with an opponent’s effective field goal percentage of 53.2% when playing on the road with these teams making 36.5% of their shots from behind the arc.

FINAL TAKE: Indiana State will be looking to avenge an 89-78 loss at Drake back on January 10th. The Sycamores have covered the point spread in 15 of their last 19 opportunities for revenge — and they have covered the point spread in 8 of their last 9 games when playing with revenge from a loss where they gave up 75 or more points. 20* CBB Drake-Indiana State ESPN2 Special with Indiana State Sycamores (730) minus the points versus the Drake Bulldogs (729). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 5:00 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the Lipscomb Bisons (306610) minus the points versus the Jacksonville Dolphins (306609). THE SITUATION: Lipscomb (13-10) has suffered two straight upset losses after their 85-76 loss at North Florida as a 1.5-point favorite on Wednesday. Jacksonville (11-11) snapped their three-game losing streak with a 63-43 upset win against Austin Peay as a 2.5-point underdog on Wednesday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE BISONS MINUS THE POINTS: Despite their 4-4 record in the Atlantic Sun Conference, Lipscomb still ranks as the top team in the conference according to the Adjusted Net Efficiency Margins of Ken Pomeroy — and they have an impressive victory against Florida State this season. The Bisons have been resilient after losses this season — they have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games after a straight-up loss and they have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a straight-up loss on the road. They have also covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after a point spread loss. They need to tighten up on defense after allowing 85 and 80 points in their last two games — but they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after allowing 75 or more points in two or more games in a row. They have also covered the point spread in 4 of their last games after allowing 80 or more points in their last game. Now after playing their last three games on the road, they return home where they have a 7-1 record with an average winning margin of +18.0 net Points-Per-Game. Lipscomb has covered the point spread in 13 of their last 18 games at home including five of their last six boarded home games this season. They are holding their guests to just 41.6% shooting resulting in 75.1 PPG. But it is the Bison’s shooting on their home court that sets them apart. They lead the nation with an effective field goal percentage of 62.7% when playing at home — they are nailing 55.1% of their shots resulting in 93.1 PPG when in front of their home fans. Lipscomb is second in the Atlantic Sun by hitting 40.3% of their 3-pointers — and they rank third in the nation by converting 45.3% of their shots from behind the arc when playing at home. They should make a ton of 3s this afternoon against this Dolphins team that is ninth in the conference by allowing their opponents to make 37.2% of their 3-pointers — and they rank 352nd in the nation by allowing their opponents to convert 39.7% of their 3-pointers when they are playing on the road. Jacksonville made 47.9% of their shots on Wednesday which was the best shooting effort in their last five games — and by holding the Governors to 34.0% shooting, they enjoyed their best defensive performance in their last 11 contests. But the Dolphins have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after an upset win by double-digits — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 14 of their last 16 games after a point spread win. Jacksonville leads the conference by pulling down 33.1% of their missed shots — but the Bisons protect their defensive glass by limiting their conference opponents to rebounding just 24.3% of their misses, ranking second in the Atlantic Sun. The Dolphins stay on the road where they have a 3-10 record with an average losing margin of -15.6 net PPG. They only make 42.6% of their shots away from home resulting in 67.2 PPG. Jacksonville has failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 12 games on the road — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 6 straight road games against teams with a winning record. They have failed to cover the point spread in 22 of their last 31 games on the road as an underdog or pick ‘em — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 7 straight games as a double-digit underdog.

FINAL TAKE: Jacksonville has failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 8 games with the Total set in the 140s — and Lipscomb has covered the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games with the Total set in the 140s. 25* CBB Atlantic Sun Conference Game of the Year with the Lipscomb Bisons (306610) minus the points versus the Jacksonville Dolphins (306609). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 4:30 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the North Dakota State Bison (709) and the North Dakota Fighting Hawks (710). THE SITUATION: North Dakota State (10-12) has won two of their last three games after their 74-73 upset win in overtime at South Dakota State as a 9.5-point underdog on Thursday. North Dakota (13-10) has won five games in a row after their 95-81 win at South Dakota as a 2.5-point favorite on Thursday.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Bison rank 16th in the nation by making 38.4% of their shots from behind the arc. North Dakota State has played 4 straight road games Over the Total when playing for the second time in the last three days. They stay on the road where they are allowing their home hosts to make 48.3% of their shots resulting in 80.5 Points-Per-Game. The Bison have played 10 of their last 12 games Over the Total on the road — and they have played 4 of their last 5 road games Over the Total with the Total set in the 140s. They have also played 10 of their last 13 games Over the Total as an underdog. North Dakota has played 10 of their last 12 games at home Over the Total after beating a Summit League rival on the road. They have also played 27 of their last 39 games Over the Total after a win by double-digits against a conference rival. Additionally, the Fighting Hawks have played 6 of their last 7 games Over the Total after playing on the road in a contest where both teams scored 75 or more points. They have covered the point spread in five straight games — and they have then played 10 of their last 11 games Over the Total after covering the point spread in four or five of their last six games. They have also played 12 of their last 16 games Over the Total when playing with one day or less of rest. They return home where they are making 46.9% of their shots resulting in 81.7 PPG. North Dakota has played 7 of their last 9 home games Over the Total when favored or a pick ‘em — and they have played 9 of their last 13 home games Over the Total with the Total set in the 140s. The Fighting Hawks have cranked up their scoring lately as they are making 47.7% of their shots in their last five games resulting in 86.0 PPG in those contests — and that is +10.6 PPG and +4.0% above their season averages. But North Dakota’s defense has slipped in those games as they have allowed their last five opponents to make 46.7% of their shots which is +1.9% above their season opponent’s field goal percentage of 44.8%. The Fighting Hawks have played 17 of their last 24 games Over the Total after allowing 80 or more points in their last contest.

FINAL TAKE: Both these teams struggle on defense — North Dakota and North Dakota State rank 303rd and 313th respectively in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. The Fighting Hawks have played 13 of their last 18 games Over the Total after 15 games into the season against teams with a losing record. 10* CBB Saturday Afternoon Discounted O/U Deal with Over the Total in the game between the North Dakota State Bison (709) and the North Dakota Fighting Hawks (710). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 4:00 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the Utah Valley Wolverines (696) plus the points versus the Grand Canyon Antelopes (695). THE SITUATION: Utah Valley (9-12) has lost two straight games as well as five of their last six contests with their 77-72 loss as a 6.5-point underdog on Thursday. Grand Canyon (20-2) has won three games in a row as well as 17 of their last 18 contests after a 95-88 win in overtime against Seattle as a 9.5-point favorite on Thursday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE WOLVERINES PLUS THE POINTS: Utah Valley rebounded to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games after a straight-up loss. They have also covered the point spread in 24 of their last 35 games after a point-spread victory. The Wolverines have covered the point spread in four straight games — and they have covered the point spread in 16 of their last 22 games after covering the point spread in two or more games in a row. They have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after losing two of their last three games. They return home where they have a 7-1 record this season with an average winning margin of +10.9 net Points-Per-Game. They hold their guests to just 41.8% shooting resulting in 65.1 PPG. The Wolverines have covered the point spread in 13 of their last 17 games at home including five of their last six contests on their home court. They have also covered the point spread in 8 of their last 9 home games when playing for the second time in three days. Grand Canyon has failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 11 games after a win at home where they scored 85 or more points. They have also failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games after winning eight or more of their last ten contests. Now on short rest, they go back on the road — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games in conference play.

FINAL TAKE: The Wolverines look to avenge a 78-65 loss at Grand Canyon as a 13.5-point underdog back on January 18th — and they have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 8 opportunities for same-season revenge. 8* CBB Don’t Need the Points (but take the points) Underdog Special with the Utah Valley Wolverines (696) plus the points versus the Grand Canyon Antelopes (695). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 11:00 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing the Nevada Wolf Pack (890) minus the points versus the San Jose State Spartans (889). THE SITUATION: Nevada (16-5) has lost four of their last five games after their 89-55 loss at New Mexico as an 8.5-point underdog last Sunday. San Jose State (8-13) has lost four games in a row after their 82-61 loss at Utah State as a 13.5-point underdog on Tuesday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE WOLF PACK MINUS THE POINTS: Nevada played their worst game of the season on Sunday on the road in The Pit. Their 33.9% field goal percentage was the worst shooting effort of the season — and it was the worst defensive performance of the season by allowing the Lobos to nail 58.6% of their shots. This is a get-right game for this team. The Wolf Pack have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after a loss by 30 or more points. They have also covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after losing four of their last five games. Nevada is a very experienced team that ranks seventh in the nation in returning Division I experience from their team that won 22 games that lost to Arizona State in a First Four game in the NCAA Tournament. They rank Nevada ranks 51st in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. Head coach Steve Alford’s team has a high floor given the strong fundamentals that he has instilled into this team. The Wolf Pack ranks 26th in the nation by turning the ball over in 14.4% of their possessions. They also get to the free throw line as they rank ninth in the nation in free throw rate — and they host a Spartans team that ranks 242nd in the nation in putting their opponents on the free throw line. Nevada returns home where they have a 10-1 record this season with an average winning margin of +17.3 Points-Per-Game. They hold their guests to just 38.4% shooting resulting in 61.5 PPG. They also make 48.8% of their shots at home including 37.4% of their 3-pointers resulting in 78.8 PPG. The Wolf Pack have covered the point spread in 16 of their last 23 games at home — and they have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 home games when laying 9.5 to 12 points. San Jose State has failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 12 games after a straight-up loss — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a double-digit loss. They have also failed to cover the point spread in 6 straight games after a straight-up loss on the road. The troubling dynamic of this team that makes a bounce-back unlikely is their cratering play on defense. The Spartans rank last in the Mountain West Conference in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency after allowing their last five opponents to nail 56.5% of their shots resulting in 81.2 PPG. The Aggies made 60.0% of their shots against them on Tuesday which was the fifth straight game they have allowed an opponent to make 50.7% or more of their shots. San Jose State has failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 10 road games after allowing their previous opponent to make 60% or more of their shots — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 18 of their last 24 games after allowing four or more straight opponents to make 47% or more of their shots. And while the Spartans have not covered the point spread in four straight games, they have then failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after not covering the point spread in two or more games in a row. Nevada’s biggest weakness is their defensive rebounding — they rank last in the conference by allowing their opponents to pull down 34.1% of their missed shots. But San Jose State is not equipped to take advantage of this weakness — they are only pulling down 25.8% of their missed shots which ranks tenth in the MWC. The Spartans stay on the road where they have failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 13 games on the road.

FINAL TAKE: These teams last played last March 9th in the Mountain West Conference tournament when San Jose State upset the Wolf Pack by an 81-77 score. Nevada will have revenge on their mind from that loss — and this Spartans team does not have the size or depth of that 21-win team. The Wolf Pack have covered the point spread in 24 of their last 36 games when favored. 10* CBB Friday Late Show Bailout with the Nevada Wolf Pack (890) minus the points versus the San Jose State Spartans (889). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:30 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing the Nebraska Cornhuskers (790) plus (or minus) the point(s) versus the Wisconsin Badgers (789). THE SITUATION: Nebraska (15-6) had their two-game winning streak snapped in a 73-51 loss at Maryland as a 5-point underdog last Saturday. Wisconsin (16-4) has won three games in a row as well as nine of their last ten contests after their 81-66 victory against Michigan State as a 2.5-point favorite last Friday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE CORNHUSKERS PLUS (OR MINUS) THE POINT(S): Nebraska has rebounded to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a loss on the road by 20 or more points. They have also covered the point spread in 13 of their last 17 home games for a loss to a Big Ten rival — and they have covered the point spread in 8 of their last 9 home games after a loss on the road. They turn home where they have a 13-1 record with an average winning margin of +13.1 net Points-Per-Game. Nebraska holds their guests to just 39.3% shooting resulting in 67.6 PPG. They are also making 46.2% of their shots at home resulting in 80.7 PPG. The Cornhuskers have covered the point spread in 10 of their last 14 games on their home court — and they have covered the point spread in 12 of their last 15 home games in conference play. Additionally, Nebraska has covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 home games with the Total set from 140 to 144.5. They have also covered the point spread in 12 of their last 15 home games after 15 games into the season against teams with a winning record. The Cornhuskers' best attribute is their 3-point shooting — they rank second in the Big Ten by making 41.4% of their shots from behind the arc. Even better, Nebraska is nailing 48.3% of their 3-pointers when playing at home in conference play. The Badgers are vulnerable to outside shooting, especially on the road where they rank 351st in the nation with their home hosts making 40.0% of their 3-pointers. Wisconsin has failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 11 road games after three or more conference games in a row. They have also failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 road games with the Total set in the 140s — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 9 road games when favored or a pick ‘em.

FINAL TAKE: The Cornhuskers will be looking to avenge an 88-72 loss at Wisconsin as a 5-point underdog back on January 6th — and they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games when playing with revenge on their minds. They have also covered the point spread in 14 of their last 18 home games when avenging a double-digit loss to their opponent. 10* CBB Thursday Night Discounted Deal with the Nebraska Cornhuskers (790) plus (or minus) the point(s) versus the Wisconsin Badgers (789). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:30 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing the Arkansas State Red Wolves (718) minus the points versus the Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles (717). THE SITUATION: Arkansas State (8-13) has lost two games in a row and four of their last five contests after an 85-82 loss in overtime at UL-Monroe as a 5.5-point favorite on Sunday. Southern Mississippi (12-9) had their three-game winning streak snapped in an 83-67 loss at Marshall as a 4-point underdog on Saturday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE RED WOLVES MINUS THE POINTS: Arkansas State only made 32.9% of their shots on Sunday which was the second-worst shooting effort of the season and their worst effort in 16 games. Under head coach Bryan Hodgson, the Red Wolves lead the Sun Belt Conference in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency. Arkansas State has covered the point spread in 5 of their last 8 games after a straight-up loss on the road — and they have covered the point spread in 8 of their last 9 home games after allowing 80 or more points in their last contest. Additionally, they have covered the point spread in 6 straight games after losing two or more games in a row — and they have covered the point spread in 8 of their last 10 games after losing four of their last five games. Now after playing their last four games on the road, the Red Wolves return home for the first time since January 13th where they have a 5-2 record along with an average winning margin of +9.4 Points-Per-Game. On their home court is where Hodgson’s offensive attack explodes — the former assistant for Nate Oats at Alabama has his team rank 11th in the nation in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency when playing at home. Arkansas State makes 50.4% of their shots at home resulting in 88.4 PPG which is +10.1 PPG above their season average. Hodgson plays the math game by having his team take 46.7% of their shots from behind the arc, ranking 24th in the nation. Arkansas State ranks second in the conference by making 37.1% of their 3-pointers — and they rank 17th in the nation by hitting 42.3% of their shots from behind the arc when at home. They should hit plenty of 3-pointers against this Golden Eagles squad that ranks 342nd in the nation by allowing their opponents to make 37.2% of their shots from 3-point range. The Red Wolves should also get plenty of second-chance scoring opportunities tonight as they rank 63rd in the nation by pulling down 33.1% of their missed shots — and Southern Mississippi allows their opponents to rebound 31.4% of their missed shots, ranking 272nd in the nation. The Golden Eagles have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 9 games after a point spread loss — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 18 of their last 2 road games after a point spread loss. They have also failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 12 road games after winning three of their last four games. Southern Mississippi lacks the offensive firepower to keep up with the Red Wolves when they are playing at home. The Golden Eagles rank 12th in the Sun Belt by making only 46.5% of their shots inside the arc — and they have scored less than 70 points in four of their last five games. They stay on the road where they have a 5-8 record while getting outscored by -6.5 PPG. Southern Mississippi makes only 42.4% of their shots on the road resulting in only 69.5 PPG. They have failed to cover the point spread in 33 of their last 49 road games as an underdog getting 3.5 to 6 points. They have also failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 8 games against teams with a losing record.

FINAL TAKE: Arkansas State is looking to avenge a 69-66 upset loss at Southern Mississippi as a 3-point underdog on January 17th. The Red Wolves get this rematch at home where they have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 home games with the Total set in the 150 to 154.5 point range. 25* College Basketball Game of the Month with the Arkansas State Red Wolves (718) minus the points versus the Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles (717). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:30 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing the Norfolk State Spartans (306638) minus the points versus the Morgan State Bears (306637). THE SITUATION: Norfolk State (13-8) has won three straight games after their 68-58 victory against Coppin State as a 15-point favorite on Saturday. Morgan State (6-14) has won two straight games after their 85-79 upset victory as a 6-point underdog on Saturday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE SPARTANS MINUS THE POINTS: Norfolk State is the top-ranked team in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference according to Ken Pomeroy’s Adjusted Net Efficiency metrics — and they have an impressive non-conference victory against VCU. The Spartans missed all of their 12 shots from behind the arc on Saturday — but they have then covered the point spread in 19 of their last 27 games after nailing no more than 20% of their shots from behind the arc. They have covered the point spread in 16 of their last 23 games after a straight-up win at home — and they have covered the point spread in 13 of their last 18 games after a double-digit win at home. They have covered the point spread in 11 of their last 13 games at home after winning four of their last five contests. They have also covered the point spread in 15 of their last 20 home games when playing with only one day of rest. They stay at home where they are 9-0 with an average winning margin of +33.3 net Points-Per-Game. Norfolk State holds their opponents to just 36.3% shooting resulting in only 60.6 PPG. They also nail 52.0% of their shots at home resulting in 93.9 PPG. The Spartans have covered the point spread in 18 of their last 24 home games with the Total set in the 140s. They have also covered the point spread in 31 of their last 47 home games when favored or a pick ‘em. Norfolk has several ways to generate extra-scoring possessions to help them blow out the Bears. They rank 22nd in the nation by forcing turnovers in 21.8% of their opponent’s possessions. Morgan State is very vulnerable on this front as they rank 338th in the nation by turning the ball over in 20.9% of their possessions. The Spartans also lead the MEAC by pulling down 35.0% of their missed shots in conference play — and the Bears rank last in the conference by allowing their opponents to rebound 38.3% of their missed shots. Furthermore, Norfolk State ranks ninth in the nation in getting to the free throw line where they make 75.7% of their freebies (47th in the nation) — and Morgan State ranks 331st in the nation in putting their opponents on the free throw line. The Bears made 54.4% of their shots on Saturday which was the best shooting performance in their last eight games. But Morgan State has failed to cover the point spread in 7 straight games after an upset victory. That final score finished Over the 153.5-point total — but the Bears have failed to cover the point spread in 21 of their last 27 games after playing a game that finished Over the Total in their last game. They have also failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 16 games after winning two or more games in a row. They go back on the road where they have a 1-11 record with an average losing margin of -18.3 net PPG. They allow their home hosts to make 49.3% of their shots including 36.3% of their shots from behind the arc resulting in 83.7 PPG. Morgan State makes only 40.9% of their shots on the road including just 29.1% of their 3-pointers resulting in only 65.4 PPG. The Bears have failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 12 road games with the Total set from 145 to 149.5.

FINAL TAKE: Morgan State ranks 323rd and 353rd in the nation in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency and Adjusted Defensive Efficiency respectively. The Bears have failed to cover the point spread in 5 straight road games as an underdog getting 12.5 or more points. The Spartans have covered the point spread in 9 of their last 13 home games when laying 12.5 to 15 points. 25* CBB Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Game of the Month with the Norfolk State Spartans (306638) minus the points versus the Morgan State Bears (306637). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 2:00 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the Brigham Young Cougars (662) minus the points versus the Texas Longhorns (661). THE SITUATION: BYU (14-5) has lost two games in a row after their 75-68 loss against Houston as a 2.5-point underdog on Tuesday. Texas (14-5) has won two games in a row after their 75-60 upset victory at Oklahoma as a 4.5-point underdog on Tuesday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE COUGARS MINUS THE POINTS: BYU has lost four of their last six games as they experience the gauntlet of Big 12 play. Those four losses were against conference opponents that all rank in the top 32 teams according to Ken Pomeroy’s Net Adjusted Efficiency Margin ratings. The Cougars have registered quality wins against Iowa State and San Diego State which rank 12th and 22nd according to those Pomeroy rankings. This is a balanced team that ranks 11th in the nation in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency and 22nd in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency using Pomeroy’s metrics. BYU has covered the point spread in 9 of their last 10 games after losing four or five of their last six games. And while they have played three straight games Over the Total, they have then covered the point spread in 6 straight games after playing three or more games Over the Total. They stay at home where they have a 10-2 record this season with an average winning margin of +25.9 net Points-Per-Game. The Cougars hold their guests to just 39.6% shooting resulting in just 62.8 PPG. They also nail 48.4% of their shots at home resulting in 88.7 PPG. BYU has covered the point spread in 18 of their last 27 games at home — and they have covered the point spread in 9 of their last 11 home games when favored or a pick ‘em. They have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 8 home games with the Total set in the 150s. Texas played their best defensive game in their last six games by holding the Sooners to just 39.3% shooting. But the Longhorns have failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 10 games after a double-digit victory — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 9 games after a win on the road against a conference rival. Texas has scored 71 or more points in five straight games — but they have then failed to cover the point spread in 10 straight games after scoring 75 or more points in two or more games in a row. They have also failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 8 games after winning two or more games in a row. And in their last 13 games when playing for just the second time in seven days, they have failed to cover the point spread in 11 of those contests. The Longhorns rank just 30th in the nation in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency — and they are even worse on the other end of the court where they rank 64th in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. They have allowed their last five opponents to make     47.2% of their shots even after their strong effort against Oklahoma. Interior defense is a weakness as Texas allows Big 12 opponents to make 52.2% of their inside the arc — and BYU ranks seventh in the nation by converting 62.2% of their shots inside the arc when playing at home. The Longhorns stay on the road where they are getting outscored by -0.9 PPG due to them surrendering 77.3 PPG which is +10.3 PPG above their season average. Texas has failed to cover the point spread in 16 of their last 25 games on the road.

FINAL TAKE: The Longhorns have failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 15 road games as an underdog or pick ‘em — and the Cougars have covered the point spread in 31 of their last 45 home games when favored by 6.5 to 9 points. 25* CBB Big 12 Game of the Month with the Brigham Young Cougars (662) minus the points versus the Texas Longhorns (661). Best of luck for us — Frank.

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

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

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

At 9:00 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing the San Francisco Dons (809) plus the points versus the Gonzaga Bulldogs (810). THE SITUATION: San Francisco (15-5) had their seven-game winning streak snapped in a 77-60 upset loss against Saint Mary’s as a 1-point favorite last Saturday. Gonzaga (13-5) has won four of their last five games with their 105-63 win at San Diego as an 18-point favorite on Saturday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE DONS PLUS THE POINTS: San Francisco only made 41.2% of their shots last week which was the worst shooting effort in their last eight games. They also allowed the Gaels to make 47.5% of their shots which was the worst defensive effort in their last four games. The Dons have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after a straight-up loss at home — and they have covered the point spread in 9 of their last 11 games after a point spread loss. They have also covered the point spread 7 of their last 10 games after winning five or six of their last seven games. They go back on the road where they are outscoring their home hosts by +5.6 net Points-Per-Game — and they hold these home teams to just 41.4% shooting from the field. The Bulldogs average 64 shots per game — but San Francisco has covered the point spread in 14 of their last 17 road games against teams who launch 64 or more shots per game. Gonzaga nailed 56.5% of their shots last Saturday which was tied for the best shooting effort in their last ten games — but they have failed to cover the point spread in 13 of their last 18 games after making 55% or more of their short in their last game. They have also failed to cover the point spread in 12 of their last 16 games after scoring 95 or more points in their last game. Additionally, the Bulldogs have failed to cover the point spread in 19 of their last 28 games after a double-digit win — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 17 of their last 24 games after a win by 15 or more points. Gonzaga has failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after winning five or six of their last seven games. And while the Dons hold their opponents to just 40.9% shooting, the Bulldogs have failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 8 games against teams who are not allowing their opponents to make more than 42% of their shots.

FINAL TAKE: Gonzaga has failed to cover the point spread in 23 of their last 36 games against teams with a winning record. San Francisco is outscoring their opponents by +15.9 PPG — and the Bulldogs have failed to cover the point spread in 20 of their last 30 games against teams outscoring their opponents by +4.0 or more PPG. 8* CBB Thursday Night Discounted Deal with the San Francisco Dons (809) plus the points versus the Gonzaga Bulldogs (810). Best of luck for us — Frank.

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

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

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

At 11:00 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing the Washington Huskies (742) plus the points versus the Colorado Rockies (741). THE SITUATION: Washington (11-8) has lost two of their last three games after their 90-80 loss at Stanford as a 3-point underdog on Saturday. Colorado (14-5) has won three games in a row after their 90-57 win against Oregon State as an 18-point favorite on Saturday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE HUSKIES PLUS THE POINTS: Washington allowed the Cardinal to nail 50.9% of their shots on Saturday which was the worst defensive effort in their last six games. The Huskies have covered the point spread in 26 of their last 36 games after a straight-up loss — and they have covered the point spread in 15 of their last 18 games after a loss on the road to a Pac-12 rival. They have also covered the point spread in 12 of their last 18 games after a loss by ten or more points. They return home where they have a 7-2 record with an average winning margin of +10.1 Points-Per-Game. Washington should play better on the defensive end of the court tonight where they hold their guests to 41.9% shooting and a mere 27.4% clip from behind the arc resulting in 69.1 PPG. The Huskies also make 48.9% of their shots including 38.9% of their 3-pointers at home resulting in 79.2 PPG. Washington has covered the point spread in 8 of their last 11 home games as an underdog of six points or less. Colorado nailed 52.5% of their shots on Saturday which was the best shooting effort in their last eight contests — and they played their best defensive game of the season by holding the Beavers to just 33.3% shooting. The Buffaloes have won three games in a row by double-digits — but they have then failed to cover the point spread in 15 of their last 19 road games after two or more double-digit victories in a row. They have also failed to cover the point spread in 24 of their last 35 games after beating three or more conference rivals in a row. This is Colorado’s third game since last Thursday — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 11 games when playing for the third time in seven days. The Buffaloes go back on the road where they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 straight games — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 6 straight games on the road when favored or a pick ‘em.

FINAL TAKE: Washington looks to avenge a 73-69 loss at Colorado as an 8.5-point underdog on December 29th — and they have covered the point spread in 19 of their last 29 games when playing with revenge. They have also covered the point spread in 14 of their last 20 games when listed in the +/- 3-point range. 20* CBB Wednesday Late Show Bailout with the Washington Huskies (742) plus the points versus the Colorado Rockies (741). Best of luck for us — Frank.

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

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

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

At 9:00 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing the San Diego State Aztecs (650) minus the points versus the Wyoming Cowboys (649). THE SITUATION: San Diego State (15-4) has lost two of their last three games after their 67-66 upset loss at Boise State as a 1-point underdog on Saturday. Wyoming (10-8) has won two games in a row with their 98-93 upset win against Nevada as a 7-point underdog on Saturday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE AZTECS MINUS THE POINTS: San Diego has rebounded to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after a straight-up loss on the road against a Mountain West Conference rival. They return where they are 9-0 with an average winning margin of +17.4 Points-Per-Game. The Aztecs hold their opponents to just 38.1% shooting resulting in 58.9 Points-Per-game when playing at home. San Diego State has covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games at home. Wyoming nailed 57.7% of their shots on Saturday which was the best shooting performance for them all season. But the Cowboys have failed to cover the point spread in 6 straight games on the road coming off a straight-up win at home — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 11 road games after playing a game that finished Over the Total. Wyoming goes back on the road where they are just 3-7 with an average losing margin of -9.5 PPG. They are only making 42.1% of their shots including just 33.3% of their shots from behind the arc resulting in only 67.9 PPG on the road. The Cowboys have failed to cover the point spread in 6 straight games on the road. Wyoming struggles to take advantage of their possessions since they turn the ball over 21.2% of the time, ranking 343rd in the nation. They also allow their opponents to pull down 32.6% of their missed shots when on the road, ranking 300th in the nation when playing on the road. The Aztecs lead the Mountain West Conference by pulling down 34.5% of their missed shots.

FINAL TAKE: Wyoming has failed to cover the point spread in all 4 of their games this season as a double-digit underdog — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 7 road games as an underdog getting 12.5 or more points. 8* CBB Tuesday Late Show Bailout with the San Diego State Aztecs (650) minus the points versus the Wyoming Cowboys (649). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:00 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing the Kent State Golden Flashes (623) plus the point(s) versus the Bowling Green Falcons (624). THE SITUATION: Kent State (9-9) has lost four of their last five games after their 77-71 loss to Akron in a pick ‘em contest on Friday. Bowling Green (14-4) has won four games in a row as well as 12 of their last 13 contests after their 84-79 victory against Western Michigan as a 9-point favorite on Saturday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE GOLDEN FLASHES PLUS THE POINT(S): In head coach Rob Senderoff we trust to right the ship for his team tonight — Kent State has covered the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games after a straight-up loss by six points or less. Under Senderoff’s leadership, the Golden Flashes have won at least 19 games in the last nine non-shortened COVID seasons (and his 2020-21 team that season was 15-8). Kent State won the Mid-American Conference Tournament last season before losing to Indiana in the Big Dance. While the top three scorers from that team moved on, the front court that was the foundation of that team is back. Chris Payton has emerged as one of the best players in the conference with the forward scoring 14.1 Points-Per-Game on 50.3% shooting and 8.1 Rebounds-Per-Game. Jalen Sullinger has moved into the starting lineup this season to score 14.3 PPG while making 39.8% of his 3-pointers. The Golden Flashes lead the MAC by nailing 40.1% of their shots from behind the arc. They should have success from downtown against this Falcons team that ranks 263rd in the nation by allowing their opponents to make 35.2% of their 3-pointers — and visiting teams are nailing 36.4% of their shots from behind the arc when playing at home. Conference opponents are making 38.9% of their 3-pointers against the Falcons. Kent State has lost both of their games that went into overtime this season -- or perhaps their record would be better. They still rank as the fourth-best team in the conference according to the Adjusted Net Efficiency Margin metrics of Ken Pomeroy — and Bowling Green ranks fifth in the MAC according to those numbers. Another power rankings system places Kent State as the 173rd best team in the nation in Adjusted Net Efficiency — but they rise to 154th in the nation when playing away from home. The Golden Flashes have covered the point spread in 5 straight games on the road as an underdog getting up to six points. They have also covered the point spread in 7 of their last 11 games with the Total set in the 150s. Bowling Green has scored 78 or more points in four straight games — but they have then failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after scoring 75 or more points in two or more games in a row. They have also failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 15 games after scoring 75 or more points in three or more games in a row. And while they have covered the point spread in three of their last four games, they have then failed to cover the point spread in 7 straight games after covering the point spread in three of their last four games. The Falcons have overachieved under first-year head coach Todd Simon who they hired away from Southern Utah in the offseason. Injuries have led Simon to rely on essentially a seven-man rotation. They have benefited from an overtime win against Eastern Michigan and a two-point victory against Southern Indiana. Their five victories in conference play have been against opponents who have a combined 11-18 record in the MAC. Bowling Green stays at home where they have a 9-1 record — but they rank just 245th in the nation in Adjusted Net Efficiency when playing at home as opposed to their 141st rank when playing away from according to those second set of power rankings I consider. The Falcons have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 home games when favored by up to three points. Simon’s offense relies on a fast pace and drawing fouls — they lead the Mid-American Conference in free throw rate. But the Golden Flashes have the third-best opponent free throw rate in the conference. Kent State nails 45.2% of their shots from the field while averaging eight made 3s per game. Bowling Green has failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 12 games after 15 games into the season against teams who make 45% of their shots — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 14 games after 15 games into the season against teams who make eight or more 3s per game.  

FINAL TAKE: Kent State has covered the point spread in 13 of their last 20 games in the second half of the season against teams with a winning record. 25* CBB Mid-American Conference Underdog of the Month with the Kent State Golden Flashes (623) plus the point(s) versus the Bowling Green Falcons (624). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:00 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing the Lamar Cardinals (306644) minus the points versus the Texas A&M-Commerce Lions (306643). THE SITUATION: Lamar (9-9) looks to snap a two-game losing streak after their 78-77 upset loss at  Houston-Christian as a 7.5-point favorite on Saturday. Texas A&M-Commerce (7-10) snapped their four-game losing streak with their 68-52 upset win at Southeast Louisiana on Saturday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE CARDINALS MINUS THE POINTS: Lamar opened their Southland Conference schedule with three straight victories before losing at Incarnate Word and then Houston-Christian. They allowed the Huskies to make 49.2% of their shots which was the worst defensive effort in their last nine games. The Cardinals have allowed at least 76 points in three straight games — but they have then covered the point spread in 6 of their last 9 games after allowing 75 or more points in three straight games. Now after playing their three games on the road, Lamar returns home where they are 6-1 this season with an average winning margin of +20.0 Points-Per-Game with them scoring 90.9 PPG. The Cardinals should play better on defense tonight since they hold their guests to 40.0% shooting on their home court. Lamar has covered the point spread in all 4 of their boarded games at home this season — and they have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 11 boarded home games with the Total set in the 140s. Additionally, the Cardinals have covered the point spread in 9 of their last 11 home games after playing their previous game on the road — and they have covered the point spread in 8 of their last 9 home games after playing two or more games in a row on the road. Furthermore, Lamar has covered the point spread in 8 of their last 12 games after losing their last two games on the road. And while they did not cover the point spread in their last two games, they have then covered the point spread in 10 of their last 16 games after not covering the point spread in two or more games in a row. The Cardinals should get plenty of second-chance scoring opportunities tonight. They rank 67th in the nation by pulling down 33.1% of their missed shots — and they improve to 23rd in the country by rebounding 37.7% of their missed shots when playing at home. The Lions rank 342nd in the nation by allowing their opponents to pull down 34.7% of their missed shots — and when on the road, their opponents rebound 36.7% of their missed shots. Texas A&M-Commerce nailed 45.6% of their shots on Saturday to break their losing streak in what was the best shooting performance in their last five games. The Lions have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 8 games after not allowing more than 60 points in their last game. They have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after a victory in conference play — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 6 games after covering the point spread this season. Furthermore, they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 6 games when playing for the second time on the road in the last three days. Texas A&M-Commerce is just 2-7 on the road this season where they are getting outscored by -18.1 net PPG. They only make 37.1% of their shots away from home resulting in just 57.3 PPG which is -16.2 fewer PPG than their season average. The Lions live-and-die by the 3 — they rank 9th in the nation by taking 48.9% of their shots from behind the arc. But they only make 28.8% of their shots from 3-point range, ranking 338th in the nation — and that mark drops to just 24.6% of their 3-pointers when away from home, ranking 357th in the nation. Texas A&M-Commerce averages 10 mades 3s per game from 30 shot attempts from behind the arc per game — but Lamar usually exceeds point spread expectations when facing teams like this. The Cardinals have covered the point spread in 12 of their last 14 games against teams who average at least 8 shots from behind the arc per game — and they have covered the point spread in 18 of their last 24 games against opponents who average at least 21 shots from behind the arc per game.

FINAL TAKE: Lamar has covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games against teams with a losing record — and they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after 15 games into the season against teams with a winning percentage in the 40-49% range. 25* CBB Southland Conference Game of the Month with the Lamar Cardinals (306644) minus the points versus the Texas A&M-Commerce Lions (306643). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 4:00 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the Texas A&M Aggies (697) minus the points versus the LSU Tigers (698). THE SITUATION: Texas A&M (10-7) has lost three of their last four games after their 78-77 upset loss at Arkansas as a 2.5-point favorite on Tuesday. LSU (11-6) has won five of their last six games after their 89-80 win against Ole Miss as a 3-point favorite on Wednesday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE AGGIES MINUS THE POINTS: Texas A&M should bounce back this afternoon as they have covered the point spread in 8 of their last 11 games after a straight-up loss on the road. The Aggies are reliable when playing on the road because they lead the nation by pulling down 44.2% of their missed shots — and offensive rebounding travels. They should have success against this Tigers team that allows their opponents to pull down 30.1% of their missed shots, ranking 224th in the nation. Texas A&M has covered the point spread in 6 of their last 9 road games when favored or listed as a pick ‘em. LSU nailed 48.3% of their shots on Wednesday which was the best shooting mark in their last four contests. But the Tigers have failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 15 games after a straight-up win against a fellow SEC rival. They have also failed to cover the point spread in 5 straight games after playing a game at home where both teams scored 75 or more points. They have also failed to cover the point spread in 13 of their last 16 games after winning four or five of their last six games. LSU stays at home where they have failed to cover the point spread in 20 of their last 28 games. They have also failed to cover the point spread in 18 of their last 25 games as an underdog — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 9 games at home as an underdog or pick ‘em.

FINAL TAKE: The Aggies will have revenge on their minds after getting upset at home to LSU by a 68-53 score as an 11.5-point favorite on January 6th. They could not hit the side of a barn in that game as they only made 25.4% of their shots including missing 23 of their 28 shots from behind the arc in what was their worst shooting performance of the season. Texas A&M has covered the point spread in 7 of their last 9 games when avenging a loss at home — and they have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games when playing with revenge from an upset loss at home by ten or more points. 20* CBB Texas A&M-LSU ESPNU Special with the Texas A&M Aggies (697) minus the points versus the LSU Tigers (698). Best of luck for us — Frank. 

At 8:30 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing the Wisconsin Badgers (890) minus the points versus the Indiana Hoosiers (889). THE SITUATION: Wisconsin (13-4) had their six-game winning streak snapped in an 87-73 upset loss at Penn State as a  5.5-point favorite on Tuesday. Indiana (12-6) has lost two of their last three games with an 87-66 loss to Purdue as a 9.5-point underdog on Tuesday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE BADGERS MINUS THE POINTS: Wisconsin allowed the Nittany Lions to make 53.3% of their shots which was the worst defensive effort in their last seven games. The Badgers have covered the point spread in 8 of their last 10 games after scoring 80 or more points in their last game. They have also covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after winning four or five of their last six games. They return home where they are holding their opponents to just 42.0% shooting which results in 65.7 Points-Per-Game. Wisconsin has a 9-1 record at home with an average winning margin of +13.9 PPG. They are nailing 50.9% of their shots at home resulting in 79.6 PPG. They have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 8 home games when favored or as a pick ‘em. Indiana has failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after a straight-up loss at home. Now they go back on the road where they are getting outscored by -7.0 PPG. The Hoosiers rank 71st in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency when playing on the road — but the other end of the court has been even worse for them as they rank 184th on the road in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency. Indiana’s most reliable trait with the basketball is getting to the free throw line — they rank 24th in the nation in free throw rate. But the Badgers lead the Big Ten in defensive free throw rate — and they also lead the conference by holding their opponents to rebounding only 19.6% of their missed shots. Indiana has failed to cover the point spread in 17 of their last 24 games on the road — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 7 road games with the Total set in the 135-139.5 point range. The Hoosiers have also failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 15 road games an underdog or pick ‘em.

FINAL TAKE: Wisconsin ranks sixth in the nation in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency — and their explosive offense has helped them win 10 of their 13 games by double-digits this season. The Badgers have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games against fellow Big Ten rivals. 10* CBB Indiana-Wisconsin FS1-TV Special with the Wisconsin Badgers (890) minus the points versus the Indiana Hoosiers (889). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:00 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing the Canisius Golden Griffins (883) plus the points versus the Iona Gaels (884). THE SITUATION: Canisius (7-9) has lost five of their last six games after their 88-63 upset loss at home to Fairfield as a 2-point favorite on Monday. Iona (7-9) had their two-game winning streak snapped in an 87-70 win against Mount St. Mary’s as a 5-point favorite on Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE GOLDEN GRIFFINS: Canisius played their worst defensive game of the season by allowing the Stags to nail 57.1% of their shots. The Golden Griffins have covered the point spread in 6 straight games after allowing their previous opponent to make 55% or more of their shots. Canisius should play better tonight as they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after an upset loss to a conference opponent. They have also covered the point spread in 5 straight games after a loss by 20 or more points. And in their last 8 games after a straight-up loss to a Metro Atlantic Athletic Association rival, the Golden Griffins have covered the point spread 6 times. Iona made 52.3% of their shots on Sunday which was the best shooting effort in their last four contests. The Gaels have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games when playing for just the second time in the last seven days. They stay at home where they are just 4-3 with an average winning margin of just +5.8 Points-Per-Game under first-year head coach Tobin Anderson who replaced Rick Pitino in the offseason. Iona has failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 13 home games when favored by 6.5 to 12 points. They have also failed to cover the point spread in 13 of their last 20 games in January.

FINAL TAKE: The Golden Griffins have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 9 road games with the Total set from 140 to 144.5. 8* CBB Thursday Daily Discounted Deal with the Canisius Golden Griffins (883) plus the points versus the Iona Gaels (884). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:00 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing the Merrimack Warriors (306546) minus the points versus the Wagner Seahawks (306545). THE SITUATION: Merrimack (9-9) had their three-game winning streak snapped in a 75-70 upset loss at Central Connecticut State as a 1-point favorite on Monday. Wagner (8-7) has won four of their last five games after a 64-54 victory against Stonehill as a 6-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE THE WARRIORS MINUS THE POINTS: Merrimack has won the Northeast Conference regular season title in two of their four seasons at the Division I level — and they won both the regular season crown and the conference tournament last year. Now eligible to play in the NCAA Tournament, there is an additional excitement around the program. Head coach Joe Gallo has overseen the only program in the NEC to not have a losing record in the last four seasons in conference play. And while the program lost its top three players in the transfer portal to bigger programs, they still have sophomore Jordan Derkack who has emerged into being the leading candidate to win Conference Player of the Year honors.  For Gallo, it all starts with the tricky 2-3 zone he deploys to frustrate their opponents. The Warriors rank 44th in the nation with an opponent’s effective field goal percentage of 46.6%. Merrimack also forces turnovers — they rank ninth in the nation by forcing turnovers in 22.9% of their opponent’s possessions. Gallo had his players' attention this week after they allowed Central Connecticut State to make 47.5% of their shots which was the worst defensive effort in their last four games. The Warriors have bounced back to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 14 games after an upset loss — and they have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 9 games after an upset loss to a Northeast Conference rival. Additionally, they have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 9 games after a loss by six points or less. And in their last 21 games after winning two of their last three games, they have covered the point spread 13 times. They return home to play for just the seventh time this season. They beat UMass-Lowell out of the American East on their home court by six points in a quality win since the River Hawks are projected to compete for their conference title. The Warriors rank 13th in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency when playing on their home court where they are undefeated — and they have a 13-game winning streak at home going back to last season. With the addition of 7’0 Jacob O’Connell to this year’s squad, Merrimack is playing better interior defense — they rank 28th in the nation by holding their opponents to 45.0% shooting inside the arc. Wagner is going to struggle to score tonight — they rank 353rd in the nation with an effective field goal percentage of 43.6%. The Seahawks made only 40.2% of their shots inside the arc, ranking 306th in the nation — and that mark drops to 39.0% when playing away from home, ranking 360th in the nation. They did make 46.8% of their shots on Monday which was the best shooting effort in their last three games — but they have failed to cover the point spread in 11 of their last 14 games on the road after a straight-up win. They have also failed to cover the point spread in 6 straight games after winning two games in a row in conference play by double-digits. Additionally, while they have covered the point spread in three of their last four games, they have then failed to cover the point spread in 8 straight games after covering the point spread in three of their last four. Wagner has failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 9 games on the road — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 road games as an underdog getting 6.5-9 points.

FINAL TAKE: The Seahawks have held their last two opponents to just 54 and 56 points — but they have then failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 12 games after not allowing more than 60 points in two or more games in a row. Wagner is vulnerable inside — they allow their opponents to make 51.8% of their shots inside the arc. Led by Derkack, the Warriors make 52.1% of their shots inside the arc, ranking 120th in the nation. 25* CBB Northeast Conference Game of the Month with the Merrimack Warriors (306546) minus the points versus the Wagner Seahawks (306545). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:30 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing the Colorado Buffaloes (840) minus the points versus the Oregon Ducks (839). THE SITUATION: Colorado (12-5) snapped their three-game losing streak with their 68-58 victory against USC as a 10.5-point favorite on Saturday. Oregon (13-3) has won six games in a row after their 80-73 win against California as an 8-point favorite on Saturday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE BUFFALOES MINUS THE POINTS: Colorado should build off their momentum as they have covered the point spread in 8 of their last 13 games after a victory at home against a Pac-12 rival — and they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 8 games after a double-digit victory. And while they have not covered the point spread in four straight games, they have then covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after failing to cover the point spread in four or more games in a row. They stay at home where they are 10-0 with an average winning margin of +18.9 Points-Per-Game — and they have covered the point spread in 34 of their last 48 home games with the Total set in the 145-149.5 point range. Oregon has failed to cover the point spread in 15 of their last 23 games after scoring 80 or more points — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games after winning eight or more of their last ten games. Additionally, the Ducks have failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 16 games after a win at home against a Pac-12 rival — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 16 games after winning two or more games in a row against conference rivals. And while this is just their second game since January 6th, they have failed to cover the point spread in 6 straight road games when playing for just the second time in the last eight days.

FINAL TAKE: The Buffaloes have covered the point spread in 4 of their last games against the Ducks — and they have covered the point spread in 8 of their last 10 games against Oregon when hosting them in Boulder after their 68-41 victory as a 3-point favorite on January 5th of last year. 8* CBB Thursday Late Show Bailout with the Colorado Buffaloes (840) minus the points versus the Oregon Ducks (839). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:00 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing the Washington Huskies (819) plus the points versus the California Golden Bears (820). THE SITUATION: Washington (10-7) had their two-game winning streak snapped in a 73-61 upset loss at UCLA as a 1-point favorite on Sunday. California (6-11) has lost four of their last six games after their 80-73 loss at Oregon as an 8-point underdog on Saturday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE HUSKIES PLUS THE POINTS: Washington laid an egg against a struggling Bruins team. Their 40.4% field goal percentage was the worst shooting effort in their last four games. They also allowed UCLA to make 50.0% of their shots which was the second opponent’s field goal percentage they surrendered all season. The Huskies should rebound with a strong effort as they typically do under head coach Mike Hopkins. Washington has covered the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games after an upset loss — and they have covered the point spread in 10 of their last 13 games after a double-digit loss against a Pac-12 rival. Additionally, the Huskies have covered the point spread in 14 of their last 17 games on the road after a straight-up loss to a conference rival. They have covered the point spread in 14 of their last 19 games after losing four or five of their last six games. And while they have only covered the point spread once in their last four games, they have then covered the point spread in 11 of their last 13 road games after failing to cover the point spread twice in their last three games — and they have covered the point spread in 6 straight road games after failing to cover the point spread in three of their last four games. Hopkins hit the transfer portal in the offseason to upgrade the talent on his roster — and he has two former Kentucky players leading this team. Sahyr Wheeler gives him his first pass-first point guard in his tenure at Washington — and Keion Brooks is in contention for Pac-12 Player of the Year. Washington has covered the point spread in 14 of their last 21 road games as an underdog or pick ‘em — and they have covered the point spread in 4 straight road games with the Total set in the 150s. California has failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 11 games after a straight-up loss on the road where they covered the point spread as an underdog. The Golden Bears return home where they are only 5-4 with an average winning margin of +1.8 Points-Per-Game. Cal has failed to cover the point spread in 18 of their last 26 games at home — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 home games when favored. The Golden Bears are considered underrated due to four losses by three points or less along with two other losses in overtime — but the Huskies have similar claims that they could easily have a better record. Washington has lost five of their games by five points or less including an overtime loss to San Diego State. They have registered high-profile victories against Gonzaga and Xavier that Ken Pomeroy ranks as the 25th and 26th best teams in the nation according to his net Adjusted Efficiency Margin metrics. All the computer models I follow project the Huskies as a small favorite — so the market may be overvaluing Cal’s close losses.

FINAL TAKE: The Golden Bears have failed to cover the point spread in 11 of their last 13 games when favored — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 13 games against teams with a winning percentage in the 51-60% range.  Washington has covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games as an underdog — and they have covered the point spread in 10 of their last 13 games after 15 games into the season against teams with a losing record. 25* CBB Pac-12 Underdog of the Month with the Washington Huskies (819) plus the points versus the California Golden Bears (820). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:00 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing the Oklahoma Sooners (720) minus the points versus the West Virginia Mountaineers (719). THE SITUATION: Oklahoma (13-3) has lost two games in a row after their 78-66 loss at Kansas as a 6-point underdog on Saturday. West Virginia (6-10) snapped their three-game losing streak with their 76-73 upset win against Texas as a 6-point underdog on Saturday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE SOONERS MINUS THE POINTS: Oklahoma only made 40.0% of their shots against the Jayhawks which was the lowest shooting percentage for them all season. The Sooners have covered the point spread in 8 of their last 13 games after a double-digit loss. And while they have only covered the point spread once in their last six games, they have then failed to cover the point spread in 11 of their last 16 games after failing to cover the point spread in three of their last four games. They return home where they are 10-0 this season with an average winning margin of +24.8 net Points-Per-Game. West Virginia has failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a straight-up win — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after a point spread victory. They go back on the road where they are 0-5 with an average losing margin of -10.8 net PPG. They are only making 38.1% of their shots on the road resulting in just 64.2 PPG. The Mountaineers have failed to cover the point spread in 6 straight road games with the Total set in the 140s — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 25 of their last 38 games as an underdog.

FINAL TAKE: West Virginia has failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 11 games against teams winning 80% or more of their games. 8* CBB Blowout Bookie Buster with the Oklahoma Sooners (720) minus the points versus the West Virginia Mountaineers (719). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:00 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing the Southern Illinois Salukis (708) plus the points versus the Bradley Braves (707). THE SITUATION: Southern Illinois (12-5) had their six-game winning streak snapped with a 76-58 loss at home to Drake as a 1.5-point underdog on Saturday. Bradley (12-5) has won six games in a row after their 77-59 victory as a 3.5-point favorite on Saturday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE SALUKIS PLUS THE POINT(S): Southern Illinois might have played their worst game of the season against a good Drake team that is second in the Missouri Valley Conference by ranking 66th in Adjusted Efficiency Margin according to Ken Pomeroy’s metrics. The Salukis made only 36.5% of their shots in that game which was the worst shooting effort in their last 11 games. They have covered the point spread in 4 straight games after a loss at home where they did not score more than 60 points. They only scored 2 points in the first half against Drake — but they have then covered the point spread in 9 of their last 12 games after failing to score more than 25 points in the first half of their previous game. And by allowing the Bulldogs to nail 56.4% of their shots, Southern Illinois played their worst defensive game of the season. But the Salukis have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 9 games after a straight-up loss at home — and they have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games after a straight-up loss at home. After losing two All-Conference players from last year’s team that finished 14-6 in conference play, head coach Bryan Mullins gotten this group playing competing once again for a Missouri Valley Conference title with a 4-2 start in conference play. Southern Illinois has a 9-2 record on their home court with an average winning margin of +14.3 net Points-Per-Game. They are making 48.2% of their shots at home while holding their opponents to just 41.4% shooting — so they should play better tonight on both ends of the court. The Salukis have covered the point spread in 8 of their last 10 games at home — and they have covered the point spread in 15 of their last 21 games at home with the Total set in the 130s. They match up well with the Braves who take 41.4% of their shots from behind the arc (ranking 81st in the nation) — and they average 24 shots from 3-point land per game. Southern Illinois ranks second in the nation by holding their opponents to 26.4% shooting from behind the arc — and they have covered the point spread in 9 of their last 14 games against teams who average 21 or more shots from 3-point land per game. The Salukis also rank fourth in the MVC in getting to the free throw line — and Bradley ranks 10th in the conference in opponent free throw rate. Additionally, Bradley leads the MVC by pulling down 35.7% of their shots — but Southern Illinois holds their conference opponents to rebounding only 23.2% of their missed shots. The Braves have covered the point spread in four straight games as well as five of their last six boarded games — but they have failed to cover the point spread in 12 of their last 19 games after covering the point spread in five or six of their last seven boarded games. And while Bradley has not allowed more than 64 points in six straight games, they have then failed to cover the point spread in 16 of their last 22 games after not allowing more than 65 points in five or more games in a row. The Braves are also 4-2 in conference play — but they miss center Rienk Mast’s scoring from last year’s team that won the regular season crown. Bradley only makes 45.0% of their shots including 34.9% from behind the arc when playing away from home. The Braves failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 11 road games when favored by up to six points.

FINAL TAKE: Southern Illinois has covered the point spread in 6 of their last 9 games against teams with a winning record. 25* CBB Missouri Valley Conference Underdog of the Month with the Southern Illinois Salukis (708) plus the points versus the Bradley Braves (707). Best of luck for us — Frank.

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

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

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

At 9:00 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing the Marquette Golden Eagles (732) minus the points versus the Butler Bulldogs (731). THE SITUATION: Marquette (11-4) looks to rebound from their 78-75 upset loss at Seton Hall as a 5-point favorite on Saturday. Butler (10-5) has lost three games in a row after their 88-81 loss to Connecticut as a 5-point underdog on Friday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE GOLDEN EAGLES MINUS THE POINTS: Marquette allowed the Pirates to nail 52.7% of their shots on Saturday which was tied for their worst defensive effort all season. But this team has been resilient under head coach Shaka Smart. The Golden Eagles have covered the point spread in 8 of their last 9 games after a straight-up loss — and they have covered the point spread in 6 straight games after a straight-up loss on the road. They have also covered the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games after a straight-up loss by six points or less — and they have covered the point spread in 12 of their last 19 games after an upset loss as a road favorite. Marquette got outworked on the boards by getting outrebounded by a 43-25 margin — but they have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games after getting outrebounded by -15 or more Rebounds-Per-Game. And while their game with Seton Hall finished above the 144-point total, they have covered the point spread in 15 of their last 21 games after playing a game that finished Over the Total. Marquette ranks 11th in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency — and they rank eighth in the nation by forcing turnovers in 23.6% of their opponent’s possessions. They are a battle-tested team whose seven Quad One opponents are tied for the most of all the teams that rank in the top 100 in the NET ratings. They return home where they have a 37-4 record under Smart while riding a 19-game winning streak. The Golden Eagles have won all eight of their games at home this season by an average margin of +21.1 net Points-Per-Game. They are holding their guests to 40.6% resulting in 64.0 PPG. On the other end of the court, Marquette is making 48.6% of their shots including 36.5% of their 3-point attempts at home resulting in 85.1 PPG. They also rank 20th in the nation by making 56.3% of their shots inside the arc at home — and this is an area of vulnerability for the Bulldogs who rank 292nd in the nation by allowing their home hosts to shoot 55.3% inside the arc when they are playing on the road. The Golden Eagles have covered the point spread in 16 of their last 18 games with the Total set in the 150s including 10 of their last 12 games at home with the Total in the 150s — and Butler has failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 13 games on the road with the Total set in the 150s. The Bulldogs have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after a point spread loss. And while they have not covered the point spread in their last six boarded games, they have then failed to cover the point spread in 4 straight games after failing to cover the point spread in two or more games in a row. This is just their second game since January 2nd — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 21 of their last 31 games when playing their second game in eight days including failing to cover the point spread in five of those six circumstances this season. They go back on the road where they are just 2-4 — and they have lost their true road games in a hostile environment by double-digits. They score -8.3 fewer PPG and make -3.5% fewer shots from the field when on the road versus their season average. Butler has failed to cover the point spread in 11 of their last 14 road games as an underdog or a pick ‘em — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 18 of their last 25 games as an underdog in all situations.

FINAL TAKE: The Bulldogs have failed to cover the point spread in 14 of their last 19 games in January — and the Golden Eagles have covered the point spread in 14 of their last 17 games in January. 10* CBB Butler-Marquette CBS Sports Network Special with the Marquette Golden Eagles (732) minus the points versus the Butler Bulldogs (731). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:00 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing the Iowa State Cyclones (634) plus the points versus the Houston Cougars (633). THE SITUATION: Iowa State (11-3) had their six-game winning streak snapped in a 71-63 loss at Oklahoma as a 1.5-point underdog on Saturday. Houston (14-0) remained unbeaten this season with their 89-55 victory against West Virginia as a 19.5-point favorite on Saturday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE CYCLONES PLUS THE POINTS: Iowa State played their worst game of the season on Saturday. They only made 42.6% of their shots which was the worst shooting effort in their last seven contests. They also allowed the Sooners to make 47.1% of their shots which was the worst defensive effort of their season. Despite those results in Norman, Iowa State still ranks fifth in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency — and they rank third in the nation in that defensive metric when playing on their home court. Nothing like hosting an undefeated Cougars team ranked number one in the nation by most laptops to redeem oneself from a bad effort. The Cyclones have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after winning five or six of their last seven contests. They return home where they are 9-0 this season with a whopping +38.1 net Points-Per-Game margin. Iowa State is very tough to score on when they are playing at home — they hold their opponents to just 35.7% shooting resulting in 53.3 Points-Per-Game. The Cyclones should shoot much better tonight even against the outstanding Houston defense. Iowa State makes 53.3% of their shots at home including 43.4% of their shots from behind the arc resulting in 91.4 PPG. The Cyclones have covered the point spread in 8 of their 9 games at home this season. Additionally, they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 home games as an underdog — and they have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 7 home games when listed in the +/- 3-point range. Houston nailed 53.1% of their shots against the Mountaineers on Saturday which was their best shooting effort of the season. The Cougars have then failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 8 games after scoring 85 or more points in their last contest. Houston scored 81 points in their previous game against Pennsylvania — but they have failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games after scoring 80 or more points in two straight games. Additionally, the Cougars have failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games after a win by 20 or more points against a conference rival — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 6 games after a win by 30 or more points against a conference opponent. They have also failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after a double-digit win on their home court. This is Houston’s only second true road game in a hostile environment — they previously won at Xavier by six points to hand the Mountaineers one of their seven losses already this season. The Cougars will likely struggle to score. Their 69.2 PPG scoring average on the road is -7.7 PPG below their season average — and their 41.3% field goal percentage away from home is -3.3% below their season average. Houston also struggles to make their free throws — they rank 306th in the nation by making only 66.8% of their shots at the charity stripe. The Cougars also rank 196th in the nation by making only 49.6% of their shots inside the arc — so easy baskets are going to be hard to come by. Houston also puts their opponents on the free throw line — they rank 290th in the nation in opponent free throw rate. This is an area of strength for the Cyclones as they rank 25th in the nation in free throw rate when they have the basketball.

FINAL TAKE: The Cougars play at a fast pace — they average 62 shot attempts per game. But Iowa State has covered the point spread in 10 of their last 12 games against opponents who average 62 or more shot attempts per game. The Cyclones have also covered the point spread in 14 of their last 23 games against teams with an 80% or higher winning percentage. 10* CBB Houston-Iowa State ESPN2 Special with the Iowa State Cyclones (634) plus the points versus the Houston Cougars (633). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 12:00 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the Clemson Tigers (612) minus the points versus the North Carolina Tar Heels (611). THE SITUATION: Clemson (11-2) looks to rebound from their 95-82 loss at Miami (FL) as a 1.5-point favorite on Wednesday. North Carolina (10-3) has won three games in a row with their 70-57 win at Pittsburgh as a 3.5-point favorite on Tuesday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE TIGERS MINUS THE POINTS:  The Tigers allowed the Hurricanes to nail 53.0% of their shots which was the worst defensive effort of their season. After going into that game holding their opponents to 69.0 Points-Per-Game, Miami (FL) scored 60 potions against them in the second half. Clemson has rebounded to cover the point spread in 4 straight games after an upset loss by ten or more points. They have also covered the point spread in 8 of their last 11 games after a loss on the road to an ACC rival — and they have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 9 games after a double-digit loss to a conference foe. They have covered the point spread in 6 straight games at home after a game where 155 or more combined points were scored. They return home where they are unbeaten in their six games with an average winning margin of +21.6 PPG. They hold their guests to just 39.7% shooting on their home court resulting in just 66.2 PPG. But after only making 45.6% of their shots on Wednesday — their lowest field goal percentage in their last four games — they should shoot much better this afternoon. The Tigers make 51.1% of their shots from the field at home including 43.0% of their shots from behind the arc resulting in 87.8 PPG. North Carolina held the Panthers to 30.9% shooting which was the best defensive effort in their last ten contests. But the Tar Heels have failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 11 games after a road victory against an ACC rival — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after a double-digit victory on the road. And while they have won six of their last eight games, they have then failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 11 games after winning four or five of their last six contests. North Carolina stays on the road this week for just their second true road game all season in a hostile environment.

FINAL TAKE: The Tar Heels have failed to cover the point spread in 7 straight games as an underdog — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 6 straight road games as a pick ‘em or underdog of up to six points. 10* CBB North Carolina-Clemson ESPN2 Special with the Clemson Tigers (612) minus the points versus the North Carolina Tar Heels (611). Best of luck for us —  Frank.

At 8:00 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing the Arkansas State Red Wolves (780) minus the points versus the Georgia Southern Eagles (779). THE SITUATION: Arkansas State (4-9) has lost two games in a row after their 91-90 loss at Georgia State as a 1-point underdog on Saturday. Georgia Southern (1-12) ended their 12-game losing streak to start the season with an 88-67 victory at home against Southern Mississippi as a 4-point underdog on Saturday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE RED WOLVES MINUS THE POINTS: Arkansas State has rebounded to cover the point spread in 4 straight games are losing two games in a row — and they have covered the point spread in 10 of their last 13 games after losing five or six of their last seven games. They have covered the point spread in 8 of their last 9 games after scoring 85 or more points in their last game — and they have covered the point spread in 6 straight home games after allowing 80 or more points in their last game. They have all covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games when playing for just the second time in the last eight days. Now after playing their last three games on the road, they return home to play for just the fourth time this season. They have a 2-1 record on their home — but they have outscored those three guests by +9.7 Points-Per-Game. The Red Wolves have covered the point spread in 26 of their last 43 home games when favored by 6.5 to 9 points. Georgia Southern nailed 15 of their 29 shots (51.7%) from behind the arc for en route to posting a 57.6% shooting percentage in the game which was their best offensive effort of the season. And they played their best game on the other end of the court in their last four games by holding the Golden Eagles to 38.7% shooting. The Eagles live by the three and die by the three — they rank 12th in the nation by taking 47.8% of their shots from 3-point range but they only make 34.4% of these shots ranking 126th in the country which explains their terrible record. Facing Arkansas State presents a bad matchup for them since the Red Wolves rank 40th in the nation by holding their opponents to just 29.5% shooting from behind the arc. Georgia Southern ranks 299th in the nation in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency — and they are 304th in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. The Eagles have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games after a win by 20 or more points — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games after making 55% or more of their shots in their last game. They have also failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games when playing for just the second time in the last eight days. And while their win against Southern Mississippi finished Over the 143-point Total in that game, they have then failed to cover the point spread in 6 straight games after a game that finished Over the Total. They go back on the road where they are 0-9 this season while getting outscored by -16.2 PPG. Georgia Southern has failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games on the road — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 road games as an underdog or a pick ‘em.

FINAL TAKE: The Eagles do not match up well with the Red Wolves due to their defensive rebounding as well. Georgia Southern ranks 344th in the nation by allowing their opponents to pull down 35.9% of their missed shots — and Arkansas State ranks 69th in the nation by rebounding 33.1% of their missed shots. 20* CBB Blowout Bookie Buster with the Arkansas State Red Wolves (780) minus the points versus the Georgia Southern Eagles (779). Best of luck for us — Frank.

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

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

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

At 9:00 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing the Nevada Wolf Pack (647) minus the points versus the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (648) in the championship game of the Diamond Head Classic. THE SITUATION: Nevada (11-1) reached the title game of this holiday tournament with their 88-75 upset win against TCU as a 3-point underdog on Friday. Georgia Tech (8-3) joined them in this title game with a 73-68 upset victory against Hawai’i on their home court as a 2.5-point underdog on Friday. This game is being played at the Stan Sheriff Center in Honolulu, Hawai’i.

REASONS TO TAKE THE WOLF PACK MINUS THE POINTS: Nevada is a very experienced team that ranks seventh in the nation in returning Division I experience from their team that won 22 games that lost to Arizona State in a First Four game in the NCAA Tournament. The Wolf Pack have covered the point spread in 20 of their last 30 games after a straight-up win — and they have covered the point spread in 12 of their last 16 games after winning four of their last five contests. And while they have covered the point spread in four straight games, they have then covered the point spread in 15 of their last 22 games after covering the point spread in two or more games in a row. They did allow the Horned Frogs to make 45.3% of their shots which was the worst defensive effort in their last eight games. TCU was the pre-tournament favorite to win this event. Nevada ranks 31st in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. Head coach Steve Alford’s team has a high floor given the strong fundamentals that he has instilled into this team. The Wolf Pack ranks 12th in the nation by turning the ball over in 13.6% of their possessions. They also get to the free throw line as they rank seventh in the nation in free throw rate. Nevada has covered the point spread in 8 of their last 9 road games when playing with only one day or less of rest. Georgia Tech has pulled off three straight upsets in this tournament after beating Penn State and UMass before their victory against the Rainbow Warriors on Friday. For the record, none of those three teams are ranked in the top 100 teams in the nation according to Ken Pomeroy’s metrics. The Yellow Jackets do have nice wins against Duke and Mississippi State this season — but they have still failed to cover the point spread in 13 of their last 17 games against opponents making at least 45% of their shots and holding their opponents to no higher than 42% shooting. The Wolf Pack are nailing 47.3% of their shots while holding their opponents to 39.0% shooting. First-year head coach Damon Stoudemire is doing a nice job with this team. They have played much better since he started playing Nathan George. After not even playing in the first few games, the freshman is now the team’s starting point guard. But with freshman Baye Ndongu also in the starting lineup, this is a young team that may be particularly susceptible to a letdown. Georgia Tech has failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 14 games after a victory by six points or less in their last game — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 11 games after winning four or five o their last six games. The Yellow Jackets thrive by crashing the glass — they rank seventh in the nation by forcing turnovers in 37.6% of their missed shots. But getting second chance opportunities will be difficult against Nevada who hold their opponents to rebounding only 25.0% of their missed shots, ranking 50th in the nation. Georgia Tech’s problem is they lack a Plan B to generate points. They are making only 29.0% of their shots from behind the arc, ranking 316th in the nation. They only force turnovers in 13.4% of their opponent’s possessions, ranking 352nd in the nation (as if forcing Wolf Pack turnovers was a viable strategy anyway).

FINAL TAKE: Nevada has covered the point spread in 17 of their last 25 games against non-conference opponents — and they have covered the point spread in 21 of their last 30 games when favored. 25* CBB Diamond Head Classic Game of the Year with the Nevada Wolf Pack (647) minus the points versus the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (648). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:00 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing the Baylor Bears (665) plus the points versus the Duke Blue Devils (666) in the Garden Classic. THE SITUATION: Baylor (9-1) looks to rebound from their 88-64 upset loss to Michigan State as a 3.5-point favorite on Saturday. Duke (7-3) returns to the court for the first time since their 89-68 win against Hofstra as a 15.5-point favorite last Tuesday. This game is being played on a neutral court at Madison Square Garden.

REASONS TO TAKE THE BEARS PLUS THE POINTS: The word came out at 6 PM ET that the Blue Devils will not have the services of their point guard Tyrese Proctor for the third straight game as he recovers from a leg injury that has kept him out of their previous two games. In this showdown with an outstanding Baylor team, Duke will miss his 10.3 Points-Per-Game and 4.5 Assists-Per-Game — and he is the team’s best on-the-ball defender. After an upset loss at Georgia Tech early in the month, the Blue Devils followed up their 80-56 victory against Charlotte with their win against the Pride last week. But Duke has failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their 9 games under head coach Jon Scheyer after winning their two previous games by double-digits. The Blue Devils nailed 55.0% of their shots against Hofstra which was the best shooting effort in their last nine contests — but they have failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 11 games after making 55% or more of their shots in their last game. They have also failed to cover the point spread in 22 of their last 32 games after scoring 80 or more points in their last game — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 12 games after scoring 80 or more points in two or more games in a row. Duke’s defense was shaky in that game last week as they allowed the Pride to make 50% of their shots — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 22 of their last 32 games after allowing 80 or more points in their last game. Additionally, the Blue Devils have failed to cover the point spread in 11 of their last 16 games after covering the point spread in a game where they were the favorite. Duke has been the favorite in all of their games this season — but they have failed to cover the point spread in 17 of their 25 games under Scheyer after being the point spread favorite in their previous four or more games. We suspected that Baylor was due for a flat performance against the Spartans on Saturday that Michigan State was desperate to win — and the Bears dug a big hole for themselves by trailing at halftime by a 45-17 score. They allowed Sparty to make 63.3% of their shots which was the worst defensive effort of the season — but Baylor has covered the point spread in 5 of their last 8 games after allowing their previous opponent to make 60% or more of their shots. They shot 47.9% of their shots which was the worst shooting effort in their last seven contests. The Bears have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games after failing to score more than 25 points in the first half in their last game — and they have covered the point spread in 15 of their last 20 games after trailing by 15 or more points at halftime of their last contest. Additionally, Baylor has covered the point spread in 19 of their last 25 games after a loss by 20 or more points. The Bears lead the nation by making 44.1% of their shots from behind the arc — and they could exploit a Duke team that ranks 225th in the nation by allowing their opponents to take 38.6% of their field goal attempts from 3-point range. Baylor takes 46% of their shots at the rim — and they rank 20th in the nation in free throw rate. They also rank eighth in the nation by pulling down 38.5% of their missed shots.

FINAL TAKE: The Bears have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 9 games played on a neutral court with the Total set in the 150s. 10* CBB Baylor-Duke ESPN Special with the Baylor Bears (665) plus the points versus the Duke Blue Devils (666). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:30 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the New Mexico State Aggies (625) and the Stephen F. Austin (626). THE SITUATION: New Mexico State (5-7) has lost two of their last three games with their 73-72 loss to New Mexico as a 14.5-point underdog on Friday. Stephen F. Austin (5-5) has lost four of their last five games after their 78-70 upset loss at Wyoming as a 2-point favorite on Saturday.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Aggies have been one of the worst defensive teams in the nation so far this season. They rank 289th in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. They rank 318th in the nation with an opponent’s effective field goal percentage of 54.5% — and their perimeter defense has been the biggest issue with their opponents nailing 39.4% of their shots from 3-point range, ranking 351st in the nation. New Mexico State also ranks 318th in defensive foul rate with their opponents sporting a 54.5% free throw attempt to field goal attempt ratio. The Aggies go back on the road where they are allowing their opponents to 49.1% shooting resulting in 89.2 Points-Per-Game. They have played 3 of their last 4 road games Over the Total with the Total set in the 145-149.5 point range. On the other end of the court, New Mexico State has been playing better as they are making 50.7% of their shots resulting in 75.6 PPG. The best thing the Aggies do on offense is get to the free throw line — they rank 47th in the nation with a free throw attempt rate to field goal attempt rate of 39.7%. Now they play a Lumberjacks team that ranks 355th in the nation with a defensive free rate ratio of 50.6%. New Mexico State has played 16 of their last 22 games Over the Total after a straight-up loss where they covered the point spread as an underdog. They have also played 6 of their last 9 games Over the Total after losing two of their last three games. They have also played 5 of their last 7 games Over the Total as an underdog. Stephen F. Austin has played 10 of their last 11 games Over the Total after an upset loss — and they have played 8 of their last 10 games Over the Total after a straight-up loss on the road. The Lumberjacks have also played 18 of their last 23 games Over the Total after a straight-up loss — and they have played 22 of their last 31 games Over the Total after a point-spread loss. Furthermore, Stephen F. Austin has played 5 of their last 7 games Over the Total after losing two games in a row — and they have played 13 of their last 17 games Over the Total after losing three of their last four games. The Lumberjacks are struggling on offense — but they should get plenty of second-chance scoring opportunities tonight. They rank 70th in the nation by pulling down 33.8% of their missed shots — and now they face an Aggies team that allows their opponents to rebound 30.9% of their missed shots, ranking 217th in the nation. Stephen F. Austin returns home where they have played 6 straight Overs against teams with a losing record — and they have played 8 of their last 11 home games Over the Total as a double-digit favorite. They have also played 10 of their last 15 games Over the Total as a double-digit favorite in all situations.

FINAL TAKE: The Lumberjacks have played 12 of their last 16 games Over the Total against teams with a losing record. And while Stephen F. Austin is outscoring their opponents by +4.1 PPG, the Aggies have played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total against teams who are outscoring their opponents by +4.0 or more PPG. 10* CBB Tuesday Daily Discounted O/U Deal with Over the Total in the game between the New Mexico State Aggies (625) and the Stephen F. Austin (626). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 2:00 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the Michigan State Spartans (626) plus the points versus the Baylor Bears (625). THE SITUATION: Michigan State (4-5) has lost two straight games and three of their last four contests with their 77-70 upset loss at Nebraska as a 3.5-point favorite last Sunday. Baylor (9-0) remained unbeaten with their 78-60 victory against Seton Hall as an 11-point favorite back on December 5th. This game is being played on a neutral court at the Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Michigan.

REASONS TO TAKE THE SPARTANS PLUS THE POINTS: Michigan State opened the season ranked fourth in the nation in the AP poll — but a difficult early schedule, some bad luck, and poor shooting has contributed to an underwhelming 4-5 start. The Spartans opened the season with an overtime loss at home to a James Madison team that remains unbeaten. They then lost to highly-rated Duke and Arizona. They hosted a good Wisconsin team in their Big Ten opener in a loss — and they then lost at Nebraska last weekend in their first true road game of the season by playing their worst defensive game of the season by allowing the Cornhuskers to make 50.0% of their shots. The Spartans still rank 16th in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. The silver lining from that loss to Nebraska was that they made 8 of 17 (47.1%) of their shots from behind the arc. Sparty has been ice cold from deep this season as they rank 301st in the nation by making only 29.5% of their shots from 3-point range. Despite this slow start, Michigan State still ranks 33rd in the nation according to the metrics by Ken Pomeroy. The Spartans also rank 23rd in the country in another power ranking system that does not consider preseason rankings and assumptions — so despite their five losses, the underlying in-season metrics place them still that high. Playing ninety minutes away in Detroit against an undefeated Baylor team gives head coach Tom Izzo a great opportunity to get his team going. As it is, Michigan State has covered the point spread in 19 of their last 28 games after a straight-up loss — and they have covered the point spread in 13 of their last 20 games after a loss against a Big Ten rival. They have also covered the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games after losing two games in a row — and they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after losing two games in a row to a conference opponent. Baylor made 50.9% of their shots in their victory against Seton Hall almost two weeks ago. The Bears have made at least 51.4% of their shots in six straight contests — but they have then failed to cover the point spread in 11 of their last 17 games after making 50% or more of their shots in four or more games in a row. Baylor leads the nation by making 46.1% of their shots from 3-point land — but they may have to knock off some rust after the long break between games. The analytics also suggest they have overachieved their 3-point shooting expectations by at least 10%. The Bears have played two straight Unders — but they have then failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 13 games after playing two or more Unders in a row. And while Baylor has enjoyed halftime leads of 10, 26, and 25 points in their last three games, they have then failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 11 games after enjoying halftime leads of at least five points in three straight games. Furthermore, the Bears have failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 14 games against teams not making more than 30% of their 3-pointers. Baylor has played Auburn and Florida — but their strength of schedule still ranks only 255th in the nation according to Pomeroy’s numbers. On the other hand, Sparty’s strength of schedule ranks the 45th most difficult entering the day.

FINAL TAKE: Michigan State has covered the point spread in 10 of their last 15 games against teams making at least 37% of their shots from 3-point range. And while the Bears are making 52.0% of their shots overall, the Spartans have covered the point spread in 9 of the last 14 games against teams making 48% or more of their shots from the field. 20* CBB Baylor-Michigan State Fox-TV Special with the Michigan State Spartans (626) plus the points versus the Baylor Bears (625). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:00 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing the Nevada Wolf Pack (644) minus the points versus the Weber State Wildcats (643). THE SITUATION: Nevada (7-1) had their seven-game winning streak to start the season snapped with a 72-53 upset loss against Drake on a neutral court in Henderson, Las Vegas, on Saturday.  Weber State (5-3) has won two of their last three games after their 78-50 victory against Cal-Poly SLO as a 13-point favorite on Saturday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE WOLF PACK MINUS THE POINTS: Nevada only made 37.3% of their shots on Saturday which was the worst shooting effort for them all season. The Wolf Pack have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 11 games after an upset loss by 15 or more points. They have also covered the point spread in 7 of their last 9 games after a game where 125 or fewer combined points were scored. Nevada is a very experienced team that ranks seventh in the nation in returning Division I experience from their team that won 22 games that lost to Arizona State in a First Four game in the NCAA Tournament. They return home where they are 6-0 on their home court while making 47.7% of their shots which is generating 83.8 Points-Per-Game. They are outscoring their guests by +20.5 net PPG — and they are holding their visitors to 37.3% shooting. Nevada has covered the point spread in 14 of their last 19 games at home — and they have covered the point spread in 9 of their last 11 home games with the Total set in the 130s. Furthermore, the Wolf Pack have covered the point spread in 18 of their last 27 games when favored — and they have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 9 home games when favored by 6.5 to 12 points. Weber State raced out to a 52-22 lead against the Mustangs on Saturday — but they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a game where they had a halftime lead by 20 or more points. They have also failed to cover the point spread in 16 of their last 22 games on the road after a game where they had a 20-point or better halftime lead. They have also failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 8 games after not allowing more than 50 points in their last contest. The Wildcats are led by 6’6 swingman Dillon Jones who bypassed the NBA last spring to return to the team. But he does not get enough support from his supporting cast in generating points. Weber State ranks 319th in the nation with an effective field goal (eFG) percentage — and their 30.8% shooting clip from behind the arc and their 44.0% mark with 2-pointers rank 258th and 327th in the nation. Nevada ranks 41st in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency — and they are 38th with an opponent’s eFG of 46.3%. The Wolf Pack holds their opponents to 39.5% shooting — and Weber State has failed to cover the point spread in 13 of their last 20 games against teams with a defensive field goal percentage of 42% or lower. On the road, the Wildcats are only making 38.3% of their shots which is resulting in only 61.2 PPG. And while they are holding their opponents to 42.1% shooting, that shooting percentage rises to 46.9% when playing on the road. Weber State has failed to cover the point spread in 5 straight road games as an underdog getting 6.5 to 12 points.

FINAL TAKE: Nevada is outscoring their opponents by +13.9 net PPG — and the Wildcats have failed to cover the point spread in 12 of their last 18 games against teams outscoring their opponents by +8.0 or more PPG. The Wolf Pack have covered the point spread in 19 of their last 29 games against teams with a winning record. 10* CBB Wednesday Late Show Bailout with the Nevada Wolf Pack (644) minus the points versus the Weber State Wildcats (643). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:00 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing the Hofstra Pride (607) plus the points versus the Duke Blue Devils (608). THE SITUATION: Hofstra (6-3) saw their five-game winning streak snapped in a 71-68 upset loss at St. Louis as a 4.5-point favorite on Saturday. Duke (6-3) snapped their two-game losing streak with their 80-56 victory at home against Charlotte as a 16-point favorite on Saturday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE PRIDE PLUS THE POINTS: Hofstra allowed the Billikens to make 45.3% of their shots which was the worst shooting effort in their last four games. They only made 28% of their shots from behind the arc as well despite them ranking 41st in the nation with a 37.9% shooting percentage from 3-point range. The Pride can redeem themselves from that loss by this opportunity to make a statement against the Blue Devils. Hofstra is a dangerous team that ranks 20th in the nation in returning Division I experience from a group that finished 16-2 in the Colonial Athletic Association last year. One of the Bracketology metrics projects the Pride as a 13-seed in the NCAA Tournament — and those numbers also currently assign the Blue Devils as only a seven-seed . Head coach Speedy Claxton deploys a Slow Killer style of play designed to upset teams like Duke. Hofstra plays at a slow pace — they average 67.2 adjusted possessions per game, ranking 264th in the nation. The Pride lives (and dies) by the 3-point shot — they rank 12th in the nation by accruing 40% of their points from behind the arc. The Blue Devils are vulnerable to teams that rely on 3-point shooting as they allow their opponents to take 37.7% of their shots from behind the arc. Hofstra will also take full advantage of their opportunities from the charity stripe as they rank third in the nation by making 81.0% of their free throws. They are led by one of the best mid-major players in the nation with Tyler Thomas who is scoring 24 PPG. Duke, as always, was considered a major player to win the national championship after they followed up their narrow loss at home to Arizona (the number one ranked team in the nation) with a convincing victory against Michigan State. But the shine has gone for this Blue Devils team after losses to Arkansas and Georgia Tech along with the Spartans looking shaky with a 4-5 record. While Duke returned plenty of talent that lost in the second round of the NCAA Tournament, they miss Derrick Lively II who provided them a rim protector in his freshman season before leaving for the NBA. The Blue Devils allow their opponents to make 49.2% of their shots inside the arc, ranking 147th in the nation. Duke did play their best defensive game in their last five contests by holding the 49ers to 40.4% shooting — but they have then failed to cover the point spread in 14 of their last 22 games after a win by 20 or more points. They have also failed to cover the point spread in 17 of their last 26 games after a win at home by 10 or more points — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 11 of their last 15 games after covering the point spread as a double-digit favorite. Furthermore, this is Duke’s second game this month — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 14 of their last 20 games when playing for just the second time in eight days. It is somewhat ominous to fade the Blue Devils when playing at home at Cameron Indoor Arena — but while they rank 17th in the nation in net Adjusted Efficiency in one of the power ranking metric systems I follow, they do fall to 30th when playing at home.

FINAL TAKE: Hofstra ranks 93rd in the nation in net Adjusted Efficiency — but they do rise to 80th when playing away from home according to those metrics. The Pride have covered the point spread in 9 of their last 12 road games with the Total set from 140 to 144.5. Hofstra has also covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games as a double-digit underdog. 10* CBB Hofstra-Duke ESPN2 Special with the Hofstra Pride (607) plus the points versus the Duke Blue Devils (608). Best of luck for us — Frank.

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

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

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

At 2:00 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the Northern Illinois Huskies (625) plus (or minus) the point(s) versus the Monmouth Hawks (626). THE SITUATION: Northern Illinois (5-3) has lost two games in a row after their 90-67 loss to Indiana State as a 7-point underdog on Tuesday. Monmouth (4-4) returns to the court after losing their second straight game in a 91-87 loss at Cornell as a 12.5-point underdog on November 29th.

REASONS TO TAKE THE HUSKIES PLUS THE POINT(S): Northern Illinois only made 39.1% of their shots against the Sycamores in what was the worst shooting effort in their last seven contests. But the Huskies have covered the point spread in 7 straight games after a straight-up loss at home in their last game — and they have also covered the point spread in 27 of their last 40 road games after a double-digit loss at home. They also allowed Indiana State to make 52.4% of their shots in what was the second-worst defensive effort of their season. Northern Illinois has covered the point spread in 8 of their last 9 road games after allowing 80 or more points in their last game — and they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after allowing 90 or more points in their last contest. The Huskies are battle-tested already with losses to Marquette, Northwestern (who upset Purdue), and the Sycamores who all rank in the top-60 according Ken Pomeroy’s advanced analytics. They also beat an Appalachian State team that upset Auburn. Northern Illinois has covered the point spread in 27 of their last 39 games on the road. They have also covered the point spread in 13 of their last 18 road games as an underdog or pick ‘em — and they have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 8 road games as an underdog of up to six points or as a pick ‘em. Monmouth nailed 53.3% of their shots against the Big Red which was the best shooting effort of the season — but they may be rusty in their return to the court with a week and a half between games. The Hawks have failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 11 games after a loss by six points or less. They have also failed to cover the point spread in 16 of their last 25 games after losing two or more games in a row.

FINAL TAKE: Monmouth has failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 15 home games as a favorite or pick ‘em — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 home games as a pick ‘em or a favorite of up to six points. And in their last 23 home games with the Total set in the 150s, the Hawks have failed to cover the point spread 17 times. 10* CBB Saturday Afternoon Discounted Deal with the Northern Illinois Huskies (625) plus (or minus) the point(s) versus the Monmouth Hawks (626). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 1:30 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the Alabama Crimson Tide (622) plus the points versus the Purdue Boilermakers (621). THE SITUATION: Alabama (6-2) enters this game coming off an 89-65 win against Arkansas State as a 25-point favorite on Monday. Purdue (8-1) rebounded from their loss at Northwestern with an 87-68 victory against Iowa as a 13.5-point favorite on Monday. This game is being played on a neutral favorite at the Coca-Cola Coliseum in Toronto, Ontario.

REASONS TO TAKE THE CRIMSON TIDE PLUS THE POINTS: I don’t think the market is giving enough respect to this Alabama team after they got upset by Ohio State and Clemson earlier this season. Head coach Nate Oaks is still working out some chemistry issues with two transfers coming in, Aaron Estrada from Hofstra and Grant Nelson from North Dakota State, adjusting to his analytics-driven 3-pointer or shoot-at-the-rim tendencies. The Crimson Tide have also struggled with their defense — but they should get better as the season moves on. This is a big opportunity to make a statement against one of the top teams in the country. Alabama has covered the point spread in 19 of their last 27 games after a double-digit victory — and they have covered the point spread in 14 of their last 21 games after a win by 15 or more points. The Crimson Tide ranks second in the nation in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency. They rank 10th in the nation by making 40.9% of their shots from behind the arc — and they are taking 3s in 42.8% of their shots from the field, the 64th most aggressive rate from 3-point land. After making 11 shots from distance in their loss to Clemson, they nailed 13 shots from 3-point range against the Red Wolves — and they have covered the point spread in 8 straight games after hitting 10 or more shots from behind the arc in two or more games in a row. Many consider Purdue the best team in the country after beating Gonzaga, Tennessee, and Marquette in the Maui Invitational — but they demonstrated their vulnerabilities in their loss at Northwestern last week. While they did follow that up with a 19-point win against the Hawkeyes, Purdue has then failed to cover the point spread in 13 of their last 17 games after a win on their home court. They have also failed to cover the point spread in 13 of their last 16 games after a win at home by 10 or more points — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 19 of their last 28 games after a win by 15 or more points. And while the Boilermakers have covered the point spread in four of their last six games, they have then failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 11 games after covering the point spread in four or five of their last six contest. Head coach Matt Painter has his team playing at a faster pace this season after his team was upset by Fairleigh Dickinson in the NCAA Tournament last March. After playing at one of the slowest paces in the nation, Purdue is shooting quicker this season — and their adjusted possessions per game of 70.0 ranks 129th in the nation. While this adjustment should help them avoid getting upset by potential Cinderellas in the Big Dance, the Boilermakers are still vulnerable to teams like Alabama that maximize efficiency on offense. Purdue is making 39.7% of their 3-pointers — but they only take 35.9% of their shots from 3-point range, ranking 216th in the nation. The Total set is set in the 160s with the Boilermakers playing at the faster pace — and this plays into the Crimson Tide’s style of play as they have covered the point spread in 14 of their last 20 games with the Total set in the 160s.

FINAL TAKE: Purdue has failed to cover the point spread in 11 of their last 13 games in December — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 22 of their last 36 games against teams winning 60-80% of their games. 10* CBB Purdue-Alabama Fox-TV Special with the Alabama Crimson Tide (622) plus the points versus the Purdue Boilermakers (621). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:00 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing the Michigan Wolverines (648) minus the points versus the Indiana Hoosiers (647). THE SITUATION: Michigan (4-4) has lost two games in a row as well as four of their last five contests after their 86-83 loss in overtime at Oregon as a 2.5-point underdog on Saturday. Indiana (6-1) has won three games in a row as well as six of their last seven contests after their 65-53 win at home against Maryland as a 2-point favorite on Friday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE WOLVERINES MINUS THE POINTS: Michigan was expected to take a step back this season after losing Jett Howard and Kobe Bufkin to the first round of the NBA draft along with Hunter Dickinson transferring to Kansas. But despite all that talent, the chemistry of that team was not great. The Wolverines missed going to the NCAA Tournament with an 18-16 final record — their season was defined by a rough 4-13 record in games decided by six points or less. Head coach Juwan Howard brought in several impact transfers to help restructure the identity of his team. Olivier Nkamhoua comes in from Tennessee to develop his post-up play from Howard after being a contributor for the Volunteers for four years. He scored 27 points against Duke in the NCAA Tournament last season — and his defense is needed for this team. Nimari Burnett is a former McDonald’s All-American with immense talent who has been slowed by injuries while playing at Texas Tech and then Alabama. Dug McDaniel has stepped in as a big-time scorer at point guard for this team in his sophomore season after his trial-by-fire last season. He scored 30 points in the loss to the Ducks — that was a heartbreaker with Oregon nailing a game-winning 3-pointer at the buzzer to win that game. Michigan has covered the point spread in 8 of their last 10 games after losing two games in a row — and they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after a game where both teams scored 80 or more points. They have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after losing four or five of their last six contests. Furthermore, while they have failed to cover the point spread in four of their last five games, they have then covered the point spread in 4 straight games after failing to cover the point spread in four of their last five contests. This is the Wolverines’ second game since November 24th — and they have covered the point spread in 11 of their last 13 games when playing for the second time in eight days. They return home for the first time since getting upset by Fresno State in their first loss of the season — but they are nailing 52.3% of their shots at home which has resulted in 92.3 Points-Per-Game. Michigan has played a difficult schedule with three of their losses against Memphis, Texas Tech, and Oregon being against teams that rank in the top-52 in Ken Pomeroy’s rankings. Pomeroy’s metrics rank the Wolverines schedule as the 27th most difficult in the nation. The Hoosiers, on the other hand, rank just 230th in the nation according to Pomeroy in their non-conference schedule. Indiana held the Terrapins to just 35.7% shooting which was tied for the lowest opponent field goal percentage so far this season. The Hoosiers have covered the point spread in their last two games as the favorite — but they have then failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 9 games after covering two or more games in a row as the favorite. Indiana lost four of their top five players from last year’s team that reached the Round of 32 in the Big Dance — and head coach Mike Woodson leaned on the transfer portal as well to replenish his roster. By adding 7’0 Kel-El Ware from Oregon, Indiana measures as the fifth tallest team in the nation — but the Wolverines rank 67th in size according to that metric. Despite their big frontline, the Hoosiers are only pulling down 27.0% of their missed shots, ranking 246th in the nation. Defensive rebounding has been a problem for Michigan as they rank 243rd in the nation by allowing their opponents to rebound 31.7% of their missed shots. Defending the perimeter has also been a problem for the Wolverines with their opponents making 39.4 of their 3-pointers, the 343rd worst mark in the nation. But Indiana ranks 350th in the nation by making only 25.0% of their 3-pointers. And while the Hoosiers rank fourth in the nation in getting to the free throw line, the Wolverines rank 39th in the nation in defensive free throw rate. This is not a good matchup for the Hoosiers.

FINAL TAKE: Indiana is playing their first true road game of the season tonight after playing three games on neutral courts. They have failed to cover the point spread in 15 of their last 21 games on the road — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 12 road games as an underdog or pick ‘em. Michigan has covered the point spread in 6 of their last 8 home games as a favorite against Big Ten opponents. 10* CBB Tuesday Night Discounted Deal with the Michigan Wolverines (648) minus the points versus the Indiana Hoosiers (647). Best of luck for us — Frank.  

At 7:15 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing the Tennessee Volunteers (677) plus the points versus the North Carolina Tar Heels (678). THE SITUATION: Tennessee (4-2) has lost two games in a row after their 69-60 loss to Kansas as a 1.5-point underdog in the Maui Invitational last Wednesday. North Carolina (5-1) rebounded from their overtime loss to Villanova in the Battle 4 Atlantis with an 87-72 win against Arkansas as a 3.5-point favorite in that tournament on Friday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE VOLUNTEERS PLUS THE POINTS: Tennessee faced a gauntlet in the Maui Invitational with a victory against Syracuse before losing to Purdue and then the Jayhawks — two teams that rank in the top-eight teams in the nation using Ken Pomeroy’s metrics. Pomeroy ranks their schedule as the 15th most difficult in the nation so far this season. They should play better tonight even against a very good Tar Heels team. Their 31.0% shooting percentage against Kansas was their worst shooting effort of the season. And while the Jayhawks’ 51.9% shooting percentage was the highest opponent’s shooting percentage against them this season, they still rank number one in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency using Pomeroy’s metrics. The Volunteers only made 33.3% of their shot against the Boilermakers — but they have covered the point spread in 9 of their last 14 games after failing to make at least 37% of their shots in two straight games. They have covered the point spread in 11 of their last 18 games after a straight-up loss — and they have covered the point spread in 55 of their last 88 games after losing two games in a row. And while they did not cover the point spread in those final two games in Maui, Tennessee has then covered the point spread in 8 of their last 10 games after failing to cover the point spread in two straight contests. North Carolina nailed 49.1% of their shots against the Razorbacks which was the best shooting effort in their last five contests. The Tar Heels have scored at least 81 points in three straight games — but they have then failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 14 games after scoring 80 or more points in two or more games in a row. They have failed to cover the point spread in 11 of their last 13 games after winning four or five of their last six contests. And while this is their third game since last Thursday, they have failed to cover the point spread in 12 of their last 19 games when playing for at least the third time in the last seven days. This is not a great matchup for this North Carolina team that may be without starter Cormac Ryan who missed the Arkansas game with an ankle injury. The Volunteers launch 41.3% of their shots from behind the arc — and the Tar Heels rank 312th in allowing open 3s. North Carolina is making 36.9% of their shots from 3-point range — but now they face a Tennessee team that ranks 27th in the nation with their opponents making only 26.7% of their 3-pointers. The Tar Heels only make 51.2% of their shots inside the arc, ranking 157th in the nation. And while North Carolina plays at a fast pace and averages 62 shots per game, the Volunteers have covered the point spread in 11 of their last 14 games against teams who average 62 or more shots per game. The Tar Heels have failed to cover the point spread in 16 of their last 20 games in November — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 13 of their last 16 games when listed in the +/- 3-point range.

FINAL TAKE: Pomeroy ranks North Carolina’s schedule as the 127th most difficult so far this season — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 18 of their last 27 games against teams with a winning record. And while Tennessee is outscoring their opponents by +12.2 net Points-Per-Game, the Tar Heels have failed to cover the point spread in 17 of their last 25 games against teams who are outscoring their opponents by +4.0 or more PPG. 10* CBB Tennessee-North Carolina ESPN Special with the Tennessee Volunteers (677) plus the points versus the North Carolina Tar Heels (678). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:00 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing the Boise State Broncos (775) plus the points versus the Virginia Tech Hokies (776) in the ESPN Events Invitational. THE SITUATION: Boise State (2-1) looks to bounce back from their 85-68 loss at Clemson as a 5.5-point underdog on Sunday. Virginia Tech (3-1) has won two games in a row with their 98-76 victory against Wofford as an 18-point favorite on Sunday. This game is being played on a neutral court at the State Farm Field House in Kissimmee, Florida.

REASONS TO TAKE THE BRONCOS PLUS THE POINTS: This is an “In Leon Rice, I Trust” situation after Boise State lost their first game of the season. The head coach has led his team to the NCAA Tournament in two straight seasons — and he has three starters back from that group. Losing point guard Marcus Shaver to graduation is a big loss — but Rice has several players auditioning to take on those responsibilities. Rice also hit the transfer portal by bringing in Cam Martin from Kansas and O’Mar Stanley from St. John’s to offer this team great depth. They got burned on the road at Clemson because the Tigers nailed 8 of their 15 shots from 3-point range en route to their 50.8% shooting clip. Rice has overseen a top-30 defense in terms of Adjusted Defensive Efficiency in the previous two seasons — and opponents made only 31.2% of their shots from behind the arc last year so their perimeter defense should tighten up tonight. Boise State did limit a solid San Francisco team to just 4 of 19 shooting (21.0%) from behind the arc earlier this month so the Clemson game may have simply been an aberration in this young season. The Dons rank 79th in the nation according to Ken Pomeroy’s metrics. The Broncos are usually very tough when defending their defensive glass — they have ranked 17th and 11th in the nation in the previous two seasons in Defensive Rebounding Rate. So far this season, Boise State is allowing their opponents to pull down 31.7% of their missed shots, ranking 238th in the nation after the Tigers pulled down 41.9% of their missed shots. The Broncos got outrebounded by a 40-25 margin in that game — but they have then covered the point spread in 19 of their last 31 games after getting outrebounded by 15 or more boards in their last game. They have also covered the point spread in 14 of their last 23 games when listed in the +/- 3-point range. Virginia Tech has benefited from an easy schedule with their victory against Wofford being the best line on their resume so far this season — the Terriers rank 256th in the nation according to Pomeroy. Their most challenging opponent was South Carolina who they lost to on a neutral court by two points. This is the Hokies second game in the last eight days — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 15 of their last 20 games when playing for the second time in eight days. I have two overriding concerns about this team. First, while the strength of this team is their backcourt, the X-factor for this team was the development of Rodney Rice who surprised the program with his decision to transfer earlier this month. Virginia Tech still has a nice backcourt led by Sean Padulla and Hunter Cattoor — but it was their priced top recruit in 2022 in Rice who had the potential to be a go-to scorer with his upside in athleticism. Secondly, the Hokies underachieved last season by going 8-12 in the ACC primarily because of the substandard play of their defense — they ranked 139th in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. While head coach Mike Young knows that the play of his defense must improve, they only rank 122nd in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency despite a strength of schedule that Pomeroy ranks as the 347th most difficult. Virginia Tech has failed to cover the point spread in 11 of their last 13 games on the road after a win by 15 or more points — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 12 of their last 15 road games after winning two or more games in a row.

FINAL TAKE: The Hokies have failed to cover the point spread in 6 straight games in Tournament play. Boise State has covered the point spread in 10 of their last 16 games played on a neutral court with the Total set in the 140-144.5 range — and they have covered the point spread in 14 of their last 20 games on a neutral court as a pick ‘em or as an underdog of up to three points. 10* CBB Boise State-Virginia Tech ESPNU Special with the Boise State Broncos (775) plus the points versus the Virginia Tech Hokies (776). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:30 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing the Marquette Golden Eagles (658) plus the points versus the Kansas Jayhawks (657) in the semifinals of the Maui Invitational. THE SITUATION: Marquette (4-0) advanced in this tournament with their 71-69 victory against UCLA as a 5.5-point favorite yesterday. Kansas (4-0) had the easiest opening-round draw as they beat the host Chaminade team in an 83-56 victory yesterday. This game is being played on a neutral court at the SimpliFi Arena at the Stan Sheriff Center in Honolulu, Hawai’i.

REASONS TO TAKE THE GOLDEN EAGLES PLUS THE POINTS: Marquette will enter this game with confidence after beating two very good teams in a row in Illinois and then the Bruins yesterday. The Golden Eagles have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games after a victory by three points or less. Head coach Shaka Smart’s teams have also covered the point spread in 22 of their last 31 road games after a win by three points or less. Marquette returns almost every contributor except big man Olivier-Maxence Prosper from last year’s group that won both the Big East regular season title and the Big East tournament — that team finished tenth in the nation in Ken Pomeroy’s final rankings using his metrics. This is an experienced and tough team led by perhaps the best point guard in the nation by senior Tyler Kolek. The Golden Eagles have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games when playing with one day or less of rest — and Smart’s teams have covered the point spread in 35 of their last 54 road games when playing for the second time in three days. Marquette has covered the point spread in 42 of their last 62 road games in November — and they have covered the point spread in 18 of their last 26 games as an underdog. Kansas has beaten Kentucky already this season — but they have failed to cover the point spread in 11 of their last 14 games after winning four or more games in a row. The Jayhawks have assisted on at least 22 made field goals in all four of their games this season — but they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after posting 19 or more team assists in their last contest. They have held all four of their opponents to 35.1% or lower shooting from the field — but they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 8 games after holding three straight opponents to no higher than 40% shooting and they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after holding four straight opponents to 40% or lower shooting. Kansas has been impressive with Michigan transfer Hunter Dickinson playing great for his new team — but depth is an issue for this team which will now be tested playing without a day of rest. The Jayhawks have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 9 road games when playing for the second time in three days or less. They have also failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 16 games in November.

FINAL TAKE: Kansas lost to the same Fighting Illini team that Marquette beat by seven points — and while that was an exhibition game, head coach Bill Self did play his starters in that nationally televised game. The Jayhawks have failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 11 games with the Total set in the 150s — and the Golden Eagles have covered the point spread in 12 of their last 14 games with the Total set in the 150-159.5 point range. 10* CBB Tuesday Late Show Bailout with the Marquette Golden Eagles (658) plus the points versus the Kansas Jayhawks (657). Best of luck for us — Frank.             

At 9:30 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the San Diego State Aztecs (877) and the Saint Mary’s Gaels (878). THE SITUATION: San Diego State (2-1) rebounded from their loss to BYU with an 88-76 victory against Long Beach State as a 13.5-point favorite on Tuesday. Saint Mary’s (2-1) lost their first game of the season in a 61-57 loss to Weber State as a 15.5-point favorite on Sunday. This game is being played on a neutral court at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas for the Continental Tires Main Event.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Aztecs beat the Beach despite allowing them to make 50.0% of their shots which was the highest opponent’s field goal percentage they have allowed so far this season. This team consistently is one of the best defensive teams in the nation under head coach Brian Dutcher. They currently rank 15th in the Adjusted Defensive Efficiency even after that game on Tuesday. San Diego State has played 21 of their last 32 games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 33 of their last 48 games Under the Total after a win at home where they scored 85 or more points. They have also played 10 of the last 12 games Under the Total as an underdog. Saint Mary’s offense stalled against the Wildcats on Sunday as they scored only eight points in the final ten minutes of that game. After ranking 44th in the Adjusted Offensive Efficiency last season, the Gaels rank only 77th in that metric so far this season. But this team will continue to play tough defense for head coach Randy Bennett — they rank 27th in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. Their ability to stop their opponents starts with their size in the middle with seven-footer Harry Wessels and 6’10 Mitchell Saxen who will contend for the West Coast Conference Defensive Player of the Year award. Saint Mary’s has played 11 of their last 12 games Under the Total after an upset loss as a home favorite. They did outrebound Weber State by a 41-26 margin — and they have played 8 of their last 9 games Under the Total after outrebounding their last opponent by +15 or more boards. They have also played 8 of their last 9 games Under the Total when playing for just the second time in the last eight days. As always under Bennett, this team plays at a slow pace — the Gaels rank 330th in the nation with adjusted tempo of just 66.9 possessions per game.

FINAL TAKE: These two teams played on a neutral court last December 10th with the Gaels winning by a 68-61 score with the Total set at 126.5.  The Aztecs are replacing their leading scorer from last season Matt Bradley who led them with 13 points in that game. San Diego State has played 26 of their last 39 games Under the Total with the Total set in the 130s — and they have played 7 of their last 9 games Under the Total when playing on a neutral court with the Total set from 130 to 139.5. 10* CBB Friday Night Discounted O/U Deal with Under the Total in the game between the San Diego State Aztecs (877) and the Saint Mary’s Gaels (878). 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 Kentucky Wildcats (663) and the Kansas Jayhawks (664). THE SITUATION: Kentucky (2-0) has won their opening two games of the season after their 81-61 victory against Texas A&M Commerce as a 29-point favorite on Friday. Kansas (2-0) has won their first two games of the season with their 99-61 victory at home against Manhattan as a 36-point favorite on Friday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Wildcats have a young team with an average age of 19 years old. After two warmups against New Mexico State by an 86-46 score before their triumph on Friday, the challenge gets much stronger tonight against a national championship contender. Kentucky has played 23 of their last 33 games Under the Total after a straight-up win at home — and they have played 13 of their last 18 games Under the Total after a win by 20 or more points at home. Furthermore, the Wildcats have played 14 of their last 18 games Under the Total after a straight-up win where they did not cover the point spread as the favorite — and they have played 11 of their last 14 games Under the Total after a straight-up win at home where they did not cover the point spread as the favorite. Additionally, Kentucky has played 18 of their last 26 games Under the Total after scoring 80 or more points in their last game — and they have played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total after scoring 80 or more points in two straight contests. The Wildcats' lack of size may cause some trouble for them when trying to score against this veteran Jayhawks team that ranks fourth in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. Head coach John Calipari brought in the top-ranked freshman class this year which includes two intriguing point guards in D.J. Wagner and Rob Dillingham — but this contest will test their cohesion since they are both shoot-first guards who are used to having the ball in their hands. Calipari does have his young team playing good defense — they rank 27th in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. They are only taking 39.4% of their shots from behind the arc, ranking 137th in the nation — and now they face a Kansas team that ranks 12th in the nation by limiting their opponents to 38.2% shooting inside the arc. The Jayhawks have looked sharp on offense so far this season — and they have made 10 and 13 shots from behind the arc in their opening two games. Jayhawks nation is excited about Hunter Dickinson transferring over from Michigan — but they may be overrating the seven-footers shooting ability from behind the arc. Head coach Bill Self has to figure out how to best deploy Dickinson either inside or outside — and this game may present some growing pains in that learning curve. Kansas did struggle with their offense in the preseason against Illinois and Fort Hays. They have played 22 of their last 31 games Under the Total after nailing 10 or more 3-pointers in two straight games. And while the Jayhawks have seen 155 or more combined points in two straight games, they have then played 40 of their last 63 games Under the Total after playing two games in a row where 155 or more combined points were scored.

FINAL TAKE: Calipari does not have his young team running and gunning as they rank 263rd in the nation in adjusted possessions per game. The Wildcats' defense is holding their opponents to averaging 20.3 seconds per possession which is the 355th slowest opponent tempo in the nation. The Jayhawks’ opponents are averaging 18.9 seconds per possession which ranks 315th slowest in the nation. These two teams have played 5 of their last 6 meetings Under the Total after Kansas’ 77-68 upset victory as a 2.5-point underdog on January 28th. 10* CBB Tuesday Late Show O/U Bailout with Under the Total in the game between the Kentucky Wildcats (663) and the Kansas Jayhawks (664). 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 Tennessee Volunteers (861) and the Wisconsin Badgers (862). THE SITUATION: Tennessee (1-0) opened their season with an 80-42 win against Tennessee Tech as a 32.5-point favorite on Wednesday. Wisconsin (1-0) tipped off their season with a 105-76 victory against Arkansas State as a 14-point favorite on Wednesday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: Both of these teams come off big offensive efforts recently — but these remain two teams who typically play at slow paces. Wisconsin averaged 19.7 seconds per possession last year, ranking 349th slowest in the nation last season. On defense, their opponents averaged 18.3 seconds per possession, ranking 322nd slowest in the nation. Overall, the Badgers ranked 337th in Adjusted Tempo last year. Tennessee ranked 288th in Adjusted Tempo last season with their offense ranking 247th on offense and 279th on defense. The Volunteers made some waves with their high-scoring 89-89 exhibition victory at Michigan State back on September 10th — and their offense was on display with their victory on Wednesday. But Tennessee has played 8 of their last 9 games Under the Total after scoring 80 or more points in their last game — and they have played a decisive 54 of their last 86 games Under the Total after a win at home by 20 or more points. And while the Volunteers raced out to a 41-12 halftime lead, they have then played 6 of their last 9 games Under the Total after taking a 20 or more point lead at halftime in their last contest. Don’t overlook the defensive effort of Tennessee on Wednesday as they held the Golden Eagles to just 27.5% shooting. The Volunteers have become one of the best defensive teams in the nation under head coach Rich Barnes. After ranking fifth and then third in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency in 2020-21 and 2021-22, Tennessee led the nation in that metric last season. Defense travels — and the Volunteers have played 9 of their last 13 games Under the Total on the road when favored or as a pick ‘em. They have also played 4 of their last 5 road games Under the Total when favored by six points or less or as a pick ‘em. Wisconsin reached the century mark in points for the first time since December 13th, 2018 with their victory against the Red Wolves on Wednesday. The Badgers had not even reached 90 points since November 27th, 2020. Their scoring outburst may have more to do with Arkansas State’s frenetic style of play under new head coach Bryan Hodgson who previously served as an assistant under Alabama head coach Nate Oaks who pushes the pace. The Red Wolves' defense was reckless at times in that game as well — they are a team that needs to work some things out on that end of the court. Wisconsin nailed 6 of their 12 shots from behind the arc in that game — but they have played 51 of their last 82 games Under the Total after a game where they made 50% or more of their 3-pointers. And while they took a 56-41 lead into halftime, the Badgers have then played 5 straight Unders after holding a 15 or more-point lead at halftime of their last game. They have played 3 of their last 4 games Under the Total after a win by 20 or more points — and they have played 10 of their last 15 games Under the Total after a game where both teams scored 75 or more points. Wisconsin is a strong defensive team as well under head coach Greg Guard — they ranked 14th in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency last season. They stay at home where they have played 8 of their last 12 games Under the Total with the Total set in the 130 to 134.5 point range — and they have played 4 of their last 5 home games Under the Total as an underdog or pick ‘em.

FINAL TAKE: Tennessee is known for getting into rock fights against quality non-conference opponents — they beat Maryland by a 56-53 score last December and lost in overtime to Texas Tech by a 57-52 score two years ago. The Volunteers have played 10 of their last 14 games Under the Total when listed in the +/- 3-point range — and the Badgers have played 6 of their last 9 home games Under the Total when listed in the +/- 3-point range. 10* CBB Friday Late Show O/U Bailout with Under the Total in the game between the Tennessee Volunteers (861) and the Wisconsin Badgers (862). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:00 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing the Auburn Tigers (615) minus the points versus the Baylor Bears (616). THE SITUATION: Auburn (0-0) tips off their season after losing to Houston by an 81-64 score in the Round of 32 in the NCAA Tournament on March 18th. Baylor (0-0) lost in the Round of 32 the next day in an 85-76 loss to Creighton. This game is being played on a neutral court at the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

REASONS TO TAKE THE TIGERS MINUS THE POINTS: This Baylor team projects to be very good — they begin the season ranked 9th in the nation using Ken Pomeroy’s metrics. But it will likely take some time for this team to develop chemistry. Head coach Scott Drew claims that he has “never had so many new players” on a squad. This will not be a problem when they play John Brown on Thursday (the school, not a guy) — but opening up against an Auburn team that Pomeroy ranks as the 16th-best team in the nation is a challenge. The Bears have an entirely new backcourt after Keonte George got drafted by the Utah Jazz and Adam Flagler got signed by Oklahoma City as an undrafted free agent. Baylor also lost L.J. Cryer who transferred to Houston. While those players were great scorers, they were liabilities on the defensive end of the court. The Bears ranked 107th in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency — and their small backcourt was one of the problems. Drew is likely to get his team back to playing better defense — but he may have to sacrifice too much offensive production to do so. Much is being asked of RayJ Dennis who transferred from Toledo where he won the Mid-American Conference Player of the Year — but playing elite teams from Power Five conferences is a major step up in competition. Drew needs immediate offensive production from freshman Ja’Kobe Walter who is an uber-talented wing but will be asked to score right away. Interior defense was also an issue last season — the Bears ranked 348th in the nation in defending shots at the rim. Opponents made 53.5% of their shots inside the arc, ranking 315th in the country — and opponents pulled down 30.9% of their missed shots, ranking 293rd in the nation. Drew’s front-court rotation is roughly the same — so these issues likely remain a problem. Baylor’s style of play is described as a Gambling Giant: they shoot lots of 3s, they crash the offensive glass, they focus on perimeter defense — but they sacrifice defensive rebounding to accomplish these tasks. Everything is a tradeoff — and these teams tend to struggle against styles of play described as Slow Killers. Enter the Tigers coached by Bruce Pearl who has had great success with precisely this approach. Slow Killers want to lull a game to a crawl’s pace while they focus on offensive rebounding and defending against the 3-point shot. The Tigers ranked 6th in the nation by holding their opponents to making only 28.6% of their opponent’s shots. They also ranked 49th in the nation by pulling down 32.8% of their missed shots. John Broome and Dylan Cardwell both return from last year to give Pearl a two-headed monster at the center with one of them on the court at almost all times. Jaylin Williams is a 6’8, 230-lb fifth-year senior coming off his best season — and there is plenty of forward depth that should ensure that the frontcourt remains imposing once again this year. The key to this Auburn team will be the play of their backcourt which has struggled with shot selection the last two seasons. Wendell Green is gone to the NBA G-League. KD Johnson returns with Pearl hoping he is ready to make a jump in development. But it is Denver Jones and Aden Holloway who raise the ceiling of potential for this squad. Jones transfers in from Florida International where he scored more than 20 Points-Per-Game as a sophomore. Holloway is a five-star freshman regarded as one of the best shooters in the national class. If the backcourt is improved, then the Tigers should be even better this season.

FINAL TAKE: If styles make fights, I like Pearl versus Drew in this opening contest for both teams. Baylor averaged 26 shots from behind the arc last season — and Auburn has covered the point spread in 32 of their last 48 games against teams who launch 21 or more 3-pointers per game. The Tigers have also covered the point spread in 10 of their last 16 games against teams with a winning percentage of 80% or higher — and while that is not this Bears team yet, that is their projection. 10* CBB Auburn-Baylor ESPN Special with the Auburn Tigers (615) minus the points versus the Baylor Bears (616). 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 San Diego State Aztecs (711) and the Connecticut Huskies (712) in the National Championship Game of the NCAA Tournament. THE SITUATION: San Diego State (32-6) has won nine games in a row after their 72-71 win against Florida Atlantic as a 2.5-point favorite on Saturday. UConn (30-8) has won five games in a row — and 11 of their last 12 — after their 72-59 victory against Miami (FL) as a 6-point favorite on Saturday. This game is being played on a neutral court at NRG Stadium.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: San Diego State saw FAU make 9 of their 22 shots from 3-point range and 44.2% overall on Saturday. That was the highest opponent’s field goal percentage in the Aztecs’ last seven games. San Diego State still ranks third in the nation by holding their opponents to 28.1% shooting from 3-point range. Creighton missed 15 of their 17 shots from behind the arc against them in the Elite Eight after Alabama missed 24 of their 27 shots from 3-point land. The Aztecs have played 13 of their last 16 games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 4 straight games Under the Total after a point spread loss. San Diego State is susceptible to scoring droughts. They have not scored more than 75 points in ten straight games — and they have scored 64 or fewer points in six of those contests. They are only making 33.3% of their 3-pointers in this tournament — so a hot shooting night from outside the arc is unlikely. The Aztecs take many of their shots from the midrange — and now they play a UConn team that ranks sixth in the nation by holding their last ten opponents on the road to 42.9% shooting inside the arc. The Huskies held the Hurricanes to just 32% shooting and below 60 points despite them ranking sixth in the nation in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency. They stymied Gonzaga to just 54 points despite the Bulldogs leading the nation in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency. UConn has played 7 of their last 8 games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 7 of their last 8 games Under the Total after a point spread victory.

FINAL TAKE: UConn has played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total against teams winning 60% or more of their games — and they have played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total when playing on a neutral court. San Diego State has played 8 of their last 9 games Under the Total against teams winning 60% or more of their games — and they have played 27 of their last 36 games Under the Total played on a neutral court. 10* CBB San Diego State-UConn CBS-TV O/U Special with Under the Total in the game between the San Diego State Aztecs (711) and the Connecticut Huskies (712). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:20 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing the Connecticut Huskies (712) minus the points versus the San Diego State Aztecs (711) in the National Championship Game of the NCAA Tournament. THE SITUATION: UConn (30-8) has won five games in a row — and 11 of their last 12 — after their 72-59 victory against Miami (FL) as a 6-point favorite on Saturday. San Diego State (32-6) has won nine games in a row after their 72-71 win against Florida Atlantic as a 2.5-point favorite on Saturday. This game is being played on a neutral court at NRG Stadium.

REASONS TO TAKE THE HUSKIES MINUS THE POINTS: UConn has been a freight train in the Big Dance with all five of their victories by 13 or more points. They dominated a well-coached Hurricanes despite Jordan Hawkins dealing with a stomach bug and Andre Jackson, Jr. only playing 22 minutes due to foul trouble. Both players are primed for big games tonight. Jim Larranaga did not have many answers to slow down the Huskies — and now San Diego State head coach Brian Dutcher has 48 hours to address this conundrum. UConn demonstrated their vast potential in the fall — and after hitting a couple of bumps early in Big East play, they are steamrolling teams again. The Huskies have covered 16 straight games against non-conference opponents with an average winning margin of +24.7 points per game — and they have covered the point spread by +11.9 points per game in those 16 contests. There is a logic to that success. Head coach Dan Hurley feels his team is particularly difficult to prepare against — especially if the team lacks familiarity with the Huskies approach. As Gonzaga head coach Mark Few said after their 28-point loss to UConn last weekend, only 48 hours to prepare his team to play UConn was overwhelming. Handling Adama Sanoga’s post-up game is a chore — and then Donovan Clingan presents an entirely different challenge in the lob game. Defending Hawkins coming off the Huskies’ multiple off-ball sets and screens is demanding. Jackson presents a challenge in his role as a point forward. UConn has covered the point spread in 9 of their last 11 games after winning their four previous games by double-digits. Their floor for scoring in this game is probably at least 68 points — they have reached that number in ten straight games while scoring at least 82 points six times in that stretch. But is the play of the Huskies’ defense that is even more impressive. They held the Hurricanes to just 32% shooting and below 60 points despite them ranking sixth in the nation in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency. They stymied Gonzaga to just 54 points despite the Bulldogs leading the nation in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency. Now they play an Atzecs team that is susceptible to scoring droughts. San Diego State has scored no more than 75 points in ten straight games — and they have scored 64 or fewer points in six of those contests. They are only making 33.3% of their 3-pointers in this tournament — so a hot shooting night from outside the arc is unlikely. The Aztecs take many of their shots from the midrange — and now they play a UConn team that ranks sixth in the nation by holding their last ten opponents on the road to 42.9% shooting inside the arc. The Aztecs are the first team in NCAA Tournament history to win their Elite Eight game and then their Final Four game by just one point. They have endured a difficult schedule — but they have been good matchups for them since FAU, Alabama, Creighton, Furman, and the College of Charleston all live (and die) by their 3-point shooting. While UConn is a good 3-point shooting team, they probably have the most reliable scoring threats inside the arc that San Diego State will have played. Sanoga shoots 63.9% from inside the arc — and Clingon makes 65.9% of his 2-point shots. Jackson makes 54.1% of his shots inside the arc — and starter Alex Karaban makes 59.8% of his 2-pointers. The Aztecs have dug themselves into several holes in this tournament — but they used their defense and offensive rebounding to climb back against Alabama, Creighton, and FAU. Not only does UConn have reliable scoring options to stop scoring slumps but they also rank 67th in the nation by holding their opponents to rebounding 25.9% of their missed shots. San Diego State has failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 11 games after a win by three points or less. They have failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 13 games after playing a game that finished Over the Total. They have failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 14 games after winning six or more games in a row — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after winning nine or more games in a row. UConn has covered the point spread in 9 of their last 10 games played on a neutral court. They hold their opponents to 40.1% shooting while making 46.5% of their shots. San Diego State has failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 15 games against teams who do not allow their opponents to shoot better than 42% — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 11 games against teams who make at least 45% of their shots while holding their opponents to 42% or lower shooting.

FINAL TAKE: UConn is the sixth team in the history of the NCAA Tournament to win their first five games in the tournament by 13 or more points. Four of those previous five teams then went on to win the Championship Game by double-digits: Michigan State won by 13 points in 2000; Duke won by 10 points in 2001; North Carolina won by 17 points in 2009; Villanova won by 17 points in 2018. The 2016 Tar Heels were the lone team to lose in the Championship Game after beating their first five opponents by 13 or more points — and they played a Villanova team with more balance and scoring threats than this Aztecs’ group. 25* College Basketball Game of the Year with the Connecticut Huskies (712) minus the points versus the San Diego State Aztecs (711). 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 Miami (FL) Hurricanes (703) and the Connecticut Huskies (704) in the Final Four of the NCAA Tournament. THE SITUATION: Miami (FL) (29-7) has won six of their last seven games after their 88-81 upset victory against Texas a 3.5-point underdog on Sunday. UConn (29-8) has won 10 of their last 11 games after their 82-54 win against Gonzaga as a 2.5-point favorite last Saturday. This game is being played on a neutral court at NRG Stadium in Houston.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Hurricanes nailed 59.2% of their shots against the Longhorns in what was the best shooting effort in their last 20 games. Miami (FL) has pulled off three straight upsets against Indiana, Houston, and then Texas while scoring at least 85 points and making at least 48.6% of their shots in each of those games. But the Hurricanes only make 46.6% of their shots away from home which generates 76.2 Points-Per-Game — so I am expecting a visit from the Regression Gods for this team. Miami (FL) has played 6 straight Unders after scoring 75 or more points in three straight games. They also allowed the Longhorns to shoot 50% from the field which was the worst defensive effort in their last four games. They have played 10 of their last 11 games Under the Total on the road after allowing 80 or more points in their last contest. The Hurricanes have been playing better defense on the road this season. They are holding their opponents to a decisive -11.2 fewer points per 100 possessions when playing away from home. And when playing away from home, the Hurricanes score -2.9 fewer points per 100 possessions. UConn has played 6 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. They have also played 18 of their last 26 games on the road Under the Total after a double-digit victory. And while the Huskies have covered the point spread in four straight games, they have then played 7 of their last 8 games Under the Total after covering the point spread in three straight games. UConn should slow down the Hurricanes' offensive attack since they rank 8th in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency when playing on the road — and they rank 8th in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency when playing on the road in their last ten games.

FINAL TAKE: Miami (FL) has played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total against teams with a winning record. UConn has played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total against teams with a winning record — and they have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total on a neutral court. 10* CBB Miami (FL)-UConn CBS-TV O/U Special with Under the Total in the game between the Miami (FL) Hurricanes (703) and the Connecticut Huskies (704). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:49 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the Connecticut Huskies (704) minus the points versus the Miami (FL) Hurricanes (703) in the Final Four of the NCAA Tournament. THE SITUATION: UConn (29-8) has won 10 of their last 11 games after their 82-54 win against Gonzaga as a 2.5-point favorite last Saturday. Miami (FL) (29-7) has won six of their last seven games after their 88-81 upset victory against Texas a 3.5-point underdog on Sunday. This game is being played on a neutral court at NRG Stadium in Houston.

REASONS TO TAKE THE HUSKIES MINUS THE POINTS: The Hurricanes nailed 59.2% of their shots against the Longhorns in what was the best shooting effort in their last 20 games. Miami (FL) has pulled off three straight upsets against Indiana, Houston, and then Texas while scoring at least 85 points and making at least 48.6% of their shots in each of those games. But the Hurricanes only make 46.6% of their shots away from home which generates 76.2 Points-Per-Game — so I am expecting a visit from the Regression Gods for this team. As it is, Miami (FL) has failed to cover the point spread in 12 of their last 16 games after scoring 75 or more points in two or more games in a row. They have also failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games after covering the point spread in three straight games. When playing away from home, the Hurricanes score -2.9 fewer points per 100 possessions. But of even greater concern is their defense which ranks just 104th in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. Miami’s interior defense is the biggest weakness of the team. They allow their opponents to make 51.6% of their shots inside the arc, ranking 246th in the nation. Now they face a Huskies team with head coach Dan Hurley rotating Adama Sanogo with Donovan Clingan in the middle to ensure the team always has a reliable scorer down low. UConn makes 53.6% of their shots inside the arc, ranking 50th in the nation. They only made 41.7% of their shots against the Bulldogs on Saturday — so their 28-point victory could have been even worse. The Huskies have covered the point spread in 17 of their last 22 games after a win by 10 or more points — and they are 9-2-1 ATS in their last 12 games after a win by 20 or more points. Furthermore, UConn has covered the point spread in 13 of their last 17 games after scoring 80 or more points in their last game. And while they put up 88 points in their Sweet Sixteen game against Arkansas, the Huskies have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 8 games after scoring 80 or more points in two straight games. UConn should slow down the Hurricanes' offensive attack since they rank 8th in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency when playing on the road — and they rank 8th in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency when playing on the road in their last ten games. The Huskies have covered the point spread in 18 of their last 27 games against teams with a winning record — and they have covered the point spread in 14 of their last 15 games against teams outside the Big East.

FINAL TAKE: Miami (FL) has failed to cover the point spread in 11 of their last 17 games on a neutral court when listed as an underdog getting 3.5 to 6 points. UConn has offered the point spread in 7 of their last 8 games on a neutral court as a favorite or a pick ‘em. 25* CBB Final Four Game of the Year with the Connecticut Huskies (704) minus the points versus the Miami (FL) Hurricanes (703). Best of luck for us — Frank.

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

REASONS TO TAKE THE AZTECS MINUS THE POINTS: FAU looks to pull off a third straight upset victory after stunning Tennessee and then the Wildcats last week. They made 48.1% of their shots against Kansas State which was the best shooting effort in their last six games. They also outrebounded the Wildcats by a 44-22 margin — but they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 6 games after outrebounding their previous opponent by 20 or more boards. FAU scores -4.2 fewer points per 100 possessions when playing away from home as well. And they are very dependent on making 3-point shots with 44.0% of their shots from the field coming from behind the arc, ranking 35th in the nation. They are a similar but not quite as dynamic opponent as Alabama — and the Aztecs coaxed the Crimson Tide into missing 24 of their 27 shots from 3-point range in the Sweet Sixteen and a 32.4% field goal percentage overall. Alabama ranked 344th in the nation in terms of consistency from game to game going into that contest with San Diego State — and FAU is not much better with their consistency rating being 219th in the nation. The Aztecs usually have a strong defense — but this year’s team has taken things to another level. They have not allowed more than 64 points in eight straight games. The Bluejays made 40% of their shots against them which was the highest opponent’s field goal percentage they have surrendered in eight games with their previous six opponents not making more than 38.6% of their shots against them. San Diego State will slow the pace to a crawl — using “math” to their advantage by limiting FAU’s scoring chances and letting the pressure of the moment kick in for this mid-major Cinderella. The Aztecs are loaded with experience with three seniors and two juniors in the starting lineup with depth on the bench. Despite their opponents attempting 40.1% of their shots from behind the arc, ranking 282nd in the nation, these shots are only falling at a 27.8% rate which is the second-best mark in the nation. In their last ten games on the road, not only does San Diego State hold their opponents to 22.2% shooting from behind the arc, they lead the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. The Owls average 10 made 3s per game — and the Aztecs have covered the point spread in 10 straight games after 15 games into the season against teams averaging 8 or more made 3s per game. San Diego State has covered the point spread in 6 straight games after a straight-up win — and they have covered the point spread in 5 straight games after a point spread victory. The Aztecs usually have a strong defense — but this year’s team has taken things to another level. They have not allowed more than 64 points in eight straight games. The Bluejays made 40% of their shots against them which was the highest opponent’s field goal percentage they have surrendered in eight games with their previous six opponents not making more than 38.6% of their shots against them.

FINAL TAKE: San Diego State is a physical team that brings elite-level defense into this game — and that is the most reliable dynamic in this game. They are 13-3-2 ATS in their last 18 games against teams winning 60% or more of their games — and they have covered the point spread in 6 straight games played on a neutral court. 10* CBB FAU-San Diego State CBS-TV Special with the San Diego State Aztecs (702) minus the points versus the Florida Atlantic Owls (701). Best of luck for us — Frank.

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

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

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

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

REASONS TO TAKE THE BLAZERS MINUS THE POINTS: UAB outlasted the Wolverines on Tuesday despite them making 41.9% of their shots which was the highest opponent’s field goal percentage in their last four games. The Blazers have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after allowing their last opponent to score 85 or more points. They have also covered the point spread in 4 straight games after a point spread loss. UAB scores +1.1 points per 100 possessions when on the road versus when they are playing at home. UAB has covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games against teams winning 60% or more of their games. North Texas has held all four of their opponents in the NIT to no higher than 37.9% shooting after the Badgers only made 37.5% of their shots against them — but they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after holding three or more opponents in a row to no better than 40% shooting from the field. The Mean Green allows +3.5 more points per 100 possessions when playing away from home.

FINAL TAKE: North Texas is playing smaller lineups and at a quicker pace in this tournament with 6’10 Abou Ousmane now away from the team — and they will miss his size in this fourth meeting between these two teams. This is the fourth meeting between these two teams — with each game seeing a steady increase in scoring. North Texas won the first game between these teams on January 21st with a 63-52 victory. They then won the rematch on February 29th by an 82-79 score in double-overtime that had a 62-62 score after regulation. UAB avenged those two losses in the Conference USA Semifinals with a 76-69 victory on March 10th.  The Blazers have scored at least 10 more points against the Mean Green in each of their rematches this season. UAB has covered the point spread in 11 of their last 17 tournament games. 8* CBB UAB-North Texas ESPN2 Special with the UAB Blazers (665) minus the points versus the North Texas Mean Green (666). Best of luck for us — Frank.

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

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

FINAL TAKE: This is the fourth meeting between these two teams — with each game seeing a steady increase in scoring. North Texas won the first game between these teams on January 21st with a 63-52 victory. They then won the rematch on February 29th by an 82-79 score in double-overtime that had a 62-62 score after regulation. UAB avenged those two losses in the Conference USA Semifinals with a 76-69 victory on March 10th. That game was played on a neutral court where the Blazers have now played 9 of their last 11 games Over the Total. 25* CBB NIT Total of the Year with Over the Total in the game between the UAB Blazers (665) and the North Texas Mean Green (666). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:30 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing the Utah Valley Wolverines (663) plus the points versus the UAB Blazers (664) in the Semifinals of the National Invitational Tournament. THE SITUATION: Utah Valley (28-8) has won three games in a row after their 74-68 victory against Cincinnati as a 2-point favorite last Wednesday. UAB (28-9) has won three games in a row — and 11 of their last 12 contests — after their 67-59 victory at Vanderbilt as a 1.5-point favorite on Wednesday. This game is being played on a neutral court at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas.

REASONS TO TAKE THE WOLVERINES PLUS THE POINTS: Utah Valley beat the Bearcats despite only making 45.5% of their shots which was the worst shooting effort in their last eight games. They are an underrated — and undervalued — team that has won seven of their last eight contests including impressive wins in this tournament at Colorado and at New Mexico who all rank in metrics guru Ken Pomeroy’s top-71 teams in the nation as of this writing. The Wolverines won the Western Athletic Conference regular-season crown but failed to reach the NCAA Tournament after getting upset in the Semifinals of the WAC Tournament by Southern Utah. They have covered the point spread in 19 of their last 25 games after a straight-up win — and they have covered the point spread in 16 of their last 21 games after a point-spread victory. Additionally, Utah Valley has covered the point spread in 14 of their last 18 games after winning two games in a row — and they have covered the point spread in 13 of their last 14 games after winning three of their last four games. Furthermore, the Wolverines have covered the point spread in three straight games — and they have then failed to cover the point spread in 12 of their last 13 games after covering the point spread in three of their last four games. Led by 7’0 Aziz Bandaogo, Utah Valley has one of the nation’s stingiest interior defenses in the nation. He ranks third in the nation with 105 blocks — and Utah Valley blocks 14.8% of opposing team’s shot attempts, ranking third in the nation. They rank fourth in the nation in opponent’s effective field goal percentage at 44.0% — and their opponents make only 30.8% of their shots from behind the arc and 42.9% of their shots inside the arc, ranking 28th and third in the nation respectively. Overall, the Wolverines rank 30th in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. UAB held the Commodores to just 33.3% shooting which was the best defensive effort in their last eight games. The Blazers have held their last two opponents in this tournament to just 27 points in the first half — but they have then failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games after not allowing more than 30 points in the first half in two straight games. UAB ranks only 75th in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency when playing on the road. Their opponents pull down 31.6% of their missed shots when playing away from home, ranking 279th in the nation. The Blazers are 7-15-1 ATS in their last 23 games after a point-spread win. UAB has covered their last two games as a favorite in this tournament — but they have then failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after covering the point spread in two straight games. They have also failed to cover the point spread in 31 of their last 46 games after covering the point spread as the favorite in their previous two games including four of those last five situations this season.

FINAL TAKE: One of the power rankings I follow ranks UAB as the 30th-best team in the nation in their last ten games — but Utah Valley ranks close at 37th in those ratings. The Wolverines have covered the point spread in 17 of their last 21 games against teams with a winning record — and they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games against teams with a winning percentage of 60% or higher. 25* CBB NIT Game of the Year with the Utah Valley Wolverines (663) plus the points versus the UAB Blazers (664). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:00 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Wisconsin Badgers (661) and the North Texas Mean Green (662) in the Semifinals of the National Invitational Tournament. THE SITUATION: Wisconsin (20-14) is on a three-game winning streak after their 61-58 upset victory as a 1.5-point underdog at Oregon last Tuesday. North Texas (29-7) has won six of their last seven games with their 65-59 upset win in overtime at Oklahoma State as a 4.5-point underdog last Tuesday. This game is being played on a neutral court at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: Wisconsin pulled the upset against the Ducks despite making only 33.3% of their shots in that which was the worst shooting effort in their last eight games — and it is tied for the lowest field goal percentage in their last 18 contests. And on the other hand, the Badgers have allowed their last ten opponents on the road to score +4.6 more points per 100 possessions than their seasonal mark. While Wisconsin ranks 13th in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency when playing on the road, that mark drops to 44th in the nation in their last ten games away from home. The Badgers have played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total after a point-spread victory. North Texas only made 35.4% of their shots last week in their win against the Cowboys which was the worst shooting effort in their last three games. The Over is 7-2-1 in their last 10 games after a point-spread victory. The Mean Green held Oklahoma State to just 17 points in the first half in that game — and they have played 8 of their last 10 games Over the Total after holding their previous opponent to no more than 25 points in the first half.

FINAL TAKE: North Texas has a stout defense but they are allowing +4.1 adjusted points per 100 possessions when playing on the road versus on their home court — and that mark rises another +2.0 adjusted points per 100 possessions in their last ten games on the road. 8* CBB Wisconsin-North Texas ESPN O/U Special with Over the Total in the game between the Wisconsin Badgers (661) and the North Texas Mean Green (662). Best of luck for us — Frank.

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

REASONS TO TAKE THE LONGHORNS MINUS THE POINTS: Miami converted on 11 of their 25 (44%) shots from 3-point range en route to a 51.7% shooting percentage in that game which was the best effort in their last four games. But now they play a stout Longhorns defense that has played three opponents in this Big Dance that entered the game with a top-ten shooting percentage from behind the arc yet held those three foes to 18 of 60 (30%) shooting from 3-point range. The Hurricanes only made 30.2% of their shots in their opening game against Drake — so clunkers are in the repertoire. The Hurricanes have pulled off two straight upset wins after their 85-69 win against Indiana last Sunday — so an emotional letdown may be on the horizon. Miami’s scoring drops by 3.8 points per 100 possessions when they play away from home. Texas holds their opponents to -3.7 fewer points per 100 possessions when playing away from home, ranking fourth best in the nation. And in their last ten games overall, the Longhorns boast the second-best defense in terms of Adjusted Defensive Efficiency in the nation. Texas is nailing 53.9% of their shots inside the arc this season, ranking 33rd in the nation — and this is an area they should exploit against the Hurricanes. Miami ranks 204th in the nation with their opponents making 51.7% of their shots inside the arc in their last ten games on the road.

FINAL TAKE: Texas is 6-0-1 ATS in their last 7 games against teams winning 60% or more of their games — and they are 5-0-1 ATS in their last 6 games played on a neutral court. 8* CBB Miami (FL)-Texas CBS-TV Special with the Texas Longhorns (656) plus the points versus the Miami (FL) Hurricanes (655). Best of luck for us — Frank.

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

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

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

At 2:20 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Creighton Bluejays (657) and the San Diego State Aztecs (658) in the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament. THE SITUATION: Creighton (24-12) has won six of their last seven games with their 86-75 victory against Princeton as a 10-point favorite on Friday. San Diego State (30-6) has won seven games in a row after their 71-64 win against Alabama as a 6.5-point underdog on Friday. This game is being played on a neutral court at the KFC Yum! Center in Louisville, Kentucky.

REASONS TO TAKE THE UNDER THE TOTAL: San Diego State found themselves down 48-39 with just 11:30 minutes left in the second half to a Crimson Tide team that many observers considered the best team in the country. But head coach Brian Dutcher called on his team to rededicate themselves to their efforts on defense to then create scoring opportunities — and the Aztecs went on a 12-0 run to seize control of that game. They held the heavily reliant Alabama scoring attack to just 3 of 21 shooting from behind the arc and a 32.4% field goal percentage overall. In the end, they held an Alabama team that was scoring 82.3 Points-Per-Game to more than 18 points below their season average. They have played 14 of their last 17 games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 7 straight Unders after a point spread victory. San Diego State usually has a strong defense — but this year’s team has taken things to another level. They have held seven straight opponents to no better than a 38.6% shooting percentage — and they have not allowed more than 64 points in those seven games. San Diego State ranks fourth in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency — and they rank third in the nation by limiting their opponents to 28.1% shooting from behind the arc. Their defense leads the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency in their last ten games away from home. Creighton made 58.2% of their shots on Friday in their victory against Princeton — but that was the best shooting effort in their last 12 games. They have benefited from a relatively easy road to the Elite Eight against NC State, Baylor, and then the Ivy League champions. Only the Wolfpack rank in the top 100 in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency — and they are just 82nd in the nation in that metric. This is a very steep step in competition for the Bluejays when they have the basketball. San Diego State outrebounds their opponents by +4.6 rebounds per game — and Creighton has played 15 of their last 21 games after 15 games into the season Under the Total against opponents who out-refund their opponents by +4.0 or more RPG. The Bluejays play a similar drop-coverage style on defense as the Aztecs that should have success. Creighton has the second lowest-foul rate in the nation — and they are 11th in the nation by limiting their opponents to rebounding 23.2% of their missed shots.

FINAL TAKE: San Diego State has played 5 of their last 7 games in the NCAA Tournament Under the Total. 8* CBB Creighton-San Diego State CBS-TV O/U Special with Under the Total in the game between the Creighton Bluejays (657) and the San Diego State Aztecs (658). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 2:20 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing the San Diego State Aztecs (658) plus the points versus the Creighton Bluejays (657) in the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament. THE SITUATION: San Diego State (30-6) has won seven games in a row after their 71-64 win against Alabama as a 6.5-point underdog on Friday. Creighton (24-12) has won six of their last seven games with their 86-75 victory against Princeton as a 10-point favorite on Friday. This game is being played on a neutral court at the KFC Yum! Center in Louisville, Kentucky.

REASONS TO TAKE THE AZTECS PLUS THE POINTS: San Diego State found themselves down 48-39 with just 11:30 minutes left in the second half to a Crimson Tide team that many observers considered the best team in the country. But head coach Brian Dutcher called on his team to rededicate themselves to their efforts on defense to then create scoring opportunities — and the Aztecs went on a 12-0 run to seize control of that game. They held the heavily reliant Alabama scoring attack to just 3 of 21 shooting from behind the arc and a 32.4% field goal percentage overall. San Diego State usually has a strong defense — but this year’s team has taken things to another level. They have held seven straight opponents to no better than a 38.6% shooting percentage — and they have not allowed more than 64 points in those seven games. The Aztecs have covered the point spread in 15 of their last 19 games after not allowing more than 65 points in their last contest — and they have covered the point spread in 4 straight games after holding three or more opponents in a row to no better than 40% shooting. Additionally, they have covered the point spread in 5 straight games after a straight-up loss — and they have covered the point spread in 4 straight games after a point spread win. San Diego State ranks fourth in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency — and they rank third in the nation by limiting their opponents to 28.1% shooting from behind the arc. Dutcher’s team has two significant edges in this game: depth and experience. The Aztecs have a nine-player rotation without any drop-off in talent — they rank 31st in the minute bench minutes. This reliable second unit allows the team to play so physically — and it will certainly help with just a day of rest between games. This is also a very experienced team with seven seniors and two juniors in that regular rotation. One of the power rankings systems I rely on places San Diego State as the ninth-best team in the nation — and the fifth-best team over their last ten games. Those analytics rank them the 11th-best team in the nation when playing on the road led by their defense that leads the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency in their last ten games away from home. They are 13-3-2 ATS in their last 18 games against teams with a winning record. Creighton made 58.2% of their shots on Friday in their victory against Princeton — but that was the best shooting effort in their last 12 games. I appreciate that this Bluejays team is better than their record given the midseason injury to Ryan Kalkbrenner that kept him out of three of their 12 losses this year. But Creighton has benefited from a relatively easy road to the Elite Eight against NC State, Baylor, and then the Ivy League champions. Only the Wolfpack rank in the top 100 in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency — and they are just 82nd in the nation in that metric. This is a very steep step in competition for the Bluejays when they have the basketball. As it is, Creighton has failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 9 games after winning six or seven of their last eight games. And after their 85-76 win against Baylor last weekend, they have also failed to cover the point spread in 11 of their last 13 games on the road after playing two straight games where they scored 75 or more points. Depth is a problem for head coach Greg McDermott’s team as they only have a six-man rotation after the injury to Mason Miller in the NC State game last week. This is a young group with three sophomores and a freshman joining a junior and a senior in their rotation. Stylistically, I worry that the Bluejays lack a Plan B if their 3-pointers are not falling. Like Alabama, they live by the 3-point shots with 42.0% of their field goal attempts coming from behind the arc, ranking 63rd in the nation. But Creighton does not go for offensive rebounds — they pull down only 25.2% of their missed shots, ranking 283rd in the nation. They only force turnovers in 13.9% of their opponent’s possessions, ranking 359th in the nation. San Diego State is the wrong opponent to rely almost exclusively on 3-point efficiency — as the Crimson Tide found out. The power rankings referenced above rate the Bluejays as the 14th-best team in the nation — and they fall to 18th in their last ten games. And in their last ten games on the road, Creighton ranks only 22nd in the nation due to a defense that is giving up +7.7 more points per 100 possessions during that span than they are at home. I think the wrong team is favored in this one — but I am quite happy to take the points for some insurance (and I consider money-line bets with underdogs to be giving away money).

FINAL TAKE: San Diego State will have revenge on their minds after losing to Creighton in the Big Dance by a 72-69 score in overtime last March. This veteran team has been carrying that disappointment with them for over a year. The Aztecs have covered the point spread in 5 straight games on a neutral court — and they have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games in the NCAA tournament. 25* CBB Elite Eight Underdog of the Year with the San Diego State Aztecs (658) plus the points versus the Creighton Bluejays (657). 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 Connecticut Huskies (653) and the Gonzaga Bulldogs (654) in the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament. THE SITUATION: Connecticut (28-8) has won three in a row and nine of their last ten games with their 88-65 victory against Arkansas as a 3.5-point favorite on Thursday. Gonzaga (31-5) has won 12 games in a row after their 79-76 win against UCLA as a closing-line pick ‘em on Thursday. This game is being played on a neutral court at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: UConn outclassed the Razorbacks by making 57.4% of their shots and holding Arkansas to just 31.7% shooting. The Huskies have played 3 of their last 4 games Under the Total after playing a game where they shot 55% or better from the field while holding their opponent to no better than 43% shooting. That 57.4% field goal percentage was the best shooting effort in their last 25 games — so regression is likely. UConn ranks 13th in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency — and they maintain that ranking when playing away from home. They have played 8 of their last 9 games Under the Total when playing on the road for the second time in three days. They have also 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 victory. Gonzaga survived a UCLA team that did not have the 6’10 Adem Bona suit-up due to his bum shoulder (although Bona did play 21 minutes in his previous game after missing the two prior contests). The Bulldogs were able to control the offensive glass by pulling down 16 offensive rebounds representing 45.7% of their missed shots. If Bona plays, those second chances on offense go down significantly. Gonzaga leads the nation in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency — but they do score -3.5 fewer points per 100 possessions when playing on the road. They also hold their opponents to -1.5 fewer points per 100 possessions when playing on the road in hostile environments or neutral courts. With the Total set in the 150s, it does not take many scoring lulls to impact the scoring pace to get an Under.

FINAL TAKE: Gonzaga has played 10 of their last 14 games Under the Total against teams winning 60-80% of their games. 8* CBB UConn-Gonzaga TBS O/U Special with Under the Total in the game between the Best of luck for us — Frank. 

At 8:49 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the Connecticut Huskies (653) minus the points versus the Gonzaga Bulldogs (654) in the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament. THE SITUATION: Connecticut (28-8) has won three in a row and nine of their last ten games with their 88-65 victory against Arkansas as a 3.5-point favorite on Thursday. Gonzaga (31-5) has won 12 games in a row after their 79-76 win against UCLA as a closing-line pick ‘em on Thursday. This game is being played on a neutral court at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.

REASONS TO TAKE THE HUSKIES MINUS THE POINTS: UConn demonstrated how high the ceiling of their potential is by outclassing a solid Razorbacks team backed by one of the best head coaches in the business in Eric Musselman on Thursday. The Huskies made 57.4% of their shots which was the best shooting effort in their last 25 games — and they held Arkansas to just 31.7% shooting which was the best defensive effort in their last 24 games. Typically, I would then expect a team to fall victim to the Regression Gods — but this is a team that ranked number one in their last ten games before that performance in one of the power rankings systems that I lean on. The Huskies did lose four of six games during a tough stretch from late December to mid-January — but four of those games were on the road and all six of those opponents currently rank in the top-82 using the Ken Pomeroy metrics including three teams in his current top-12. Their lone win in that stretch that spoiled their 14-0 start was against Creighton who is also in the Elite Eight. UConn is 19-7-1 ATS in their last 27 games after a straight-up win — and they have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games after a point spread win. They are also 8-2-1 ATS in their last 11 games after a win by 20 or more points. And in their last 8 games against teams winning 60% or more of their games, they have covered the point spread in 7 of those games. Gonzaga survived a UCLA team that did not have the 6’10 Adem Bona suit-up due to his bum shoulder (although Bona did play 21 minutes in his previous game after missing the two prior contests). The Bulldogs were able to control the offensive glass by pulling down 16 offensive rebounds representing 45.7% of their missed shots. If Bona plays, those second chances on offense go down — and the Bruins do not go the ten minutes or so in the second half without making a field goal. I think UCLA wins the game if Bona plays 15 minutes in that game. Leaving the emotional disappointment of losing that play, Gonzaga remains a team that has failed to cover the point spread in 13 of their last 18 games on the road after winning their previous game — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 9 games after a win by six points or less. And while they have scored 77 or more points in 12 straight games, they have then failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 10 road games after scoring 75 or more points in three or more games in a row. The Bulldogs lead the nation in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency — but their vulnerability is on the other end of the court. Gonzaga ranks 73rd in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency with the biggest problem being their half-court defense given their opponent’s effective field goal percentage of 51.5%, ranking 235th in the nation. It is this imbalance that often holds the Bulldogs back against their top competition — they are just 7-19-2 ATS in their last 27 games against teams winning 60% or more of their games.

FINAL TAKE: Gonzaga is 4-12-1 ATS in their last 17 games played on a neutral court — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 8 games in the NCAA Tournament. UConn has covered the point spread in 7 of their last 8 games on a neutral court — and they have covered the point spread in 19 of their last 26 games in the NCAA Tournament. 25* CBB Elite Eight Game of the Year with the Connecticut Huskies (653) minus the points versus the Gonzaga Bulldogs (654). Best of luck for us — Frank.  

At 6:09 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the Florida Atlantic Owls (651) plus the points versus the Kansas State Wildcats (652) in the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament. THE SITUATION: Florida Atlantic (34-3) has won ten straight games after their 62-55 upset win against Tennessee as a 4-point underdog on Thursday. Kansas State (26-9) has won three in a row and seven of their last nine games after their 98-93 win in overtime against Michigan State as a 1-point favorite on Thursday. This game is being played on a neutral court at Madison Square Garden in New York City.

REASONS TO TAKE THE OWLS PLUS THE POINTS: The narrative and sentiment are with Kansas State with Markquis Nowell living out a Hollywood ending with his return home to New York — but the laptops love FAU in this spot. One of the power rankings systems I lean on ranks the Owls as the ninth-best team in the nation over their last ten games. And in their last ten games on the road, FAU ranks ninth in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency using those same metrics. They stepped up their game in the second half against the Volunteers by scoring 46 points in the final 24 minutes of that game. This team has depth with multiple weapons and ways to score amongst the five players who score at least 7.0 Points-Per-Game. Shot volume is also a hidden strength of this team as they combine a low turnover percentage with a high offensive rebounding mark to ensure they usually get shots off (which are 3-point attempts 44.0% of the time, ranking 35th in the nation). In their last ten games, they are turning the ball over in just 15.4% of their possessions, ranking 73rd in the nation. And after rebounding 37.9% of their missed shots against a big and physical Tennessee team, they are pulling down 33.8% of their missed shots in their last ten games, ranking 40th in the nation during that span. With the 7’1 Vladislav Goldin in the middle, FAU should get points inside against a Wildcats defense that ranks 239th in the nation on the road by allowing their opponents to make 52.7% of their shots inside the arc. The Owls are nailing 55.2% of their shot inside the arc in their last ten games on the road. This team also ranks 13th in the nation with an opponent’s effective field goal percentage of 45.7%. Florida Atlantic is 15-5-1 ATS in their last 21 games after a point-spread win. Nowell and this Kansas State team may be due for a letdown after their historic night on Thursday. They have failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games after scoring 90 or more points in their last game. And while Kansas State has covered the point spread in three straight games, they have then failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 12 games after covering the point spread in three or more games in a row. Nowell may not be 100% tonight after turning his ankle in that game. Under the hood, the Wildcats have some troubling concerns. When playing on the road, they turn the ball over in 20.8% of their possessions, ranking 302nd in the nation. And while they rank fourth in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency when playing at home, they plummet to 107th in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency when playing away from home on neutral courts or hostile environments. Kansas State has failed to cover the point spread in 13 of their last 20 games played on a neutral court when favored by up to three points or listed as a pick ‘em.   

FINAL TAKE: FAU is 18-7-2 ATS in their last 27 games against teams winning 60% or more of their games. 10* CBB Saturday Daily Discounted Deal with the Florida Atlantic Owls (651) plus the points versus the Kansas State Wildcats (652). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:00 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing the Creighton Bluejays (650) minus the points versus the Princeton Tigers (649) in the Sweet Sixteen of the NCAA Tournament. THE SITUATION: Creighton (23-12) has won five of their last six games after their 85-76 victory against Baylor as a 1-point favorite on Sunday. Princeton (23-8) has won six games in a row after their 78-63 upset victory against Missouri as a 6.5-point underdog on Saturday. This game is being played on a neutral court at the KFC Yum! Center in Louisville, Kentucky.

REASONS TO TAKE THE BLUEJAYS MINUS THE POINTS: Led by the 7’1 Ryan Kalkbrenner, Creighton has a significant size advantage against this Princeton team that only has two players over 6’6 in their rotation — and the Tigers do not have a player on the roster taller than 6’9. The Bluejays are a balanced team that ranks 22nd in the nation in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency and 14th in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. Princeton may be due for a letdown after three straight upset victories going back to the Championship Game in the Ivy League Tournament — and they have covered the point spread in six straight games. But the Sweet Sixteen is often when Cinderellas from the previous weekend in the Big Dance goes to die. The Tigers will try to shoot their way into the Elite Eight — but they are only making 33.4% o their 3-pointers, ranking 201st in the nation. Even after their recent good run, Princeton ranks only 69th in the nation in their last ten games in the power rankings system I lean on. And when playing on the road, they rank 73rd in the nation.

FINAL TAKE: Creighton is 12-3-1 ATS in their last 16 games played on a neutral court — and they have covered the point spread in 4 straight games in the NCAA Tournament. 8* CBB Princeton-Creighton TBS Special with the Creighton Bluejays (650) minus the points versus the Princeton Tigers (649). Best of luck for us — Frank.

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

REASONS TO TAKE THE COUGARS MINUS THE POINTS: The Hurricanes shot 48.6% of their shots against the Hoosiers in their best shooting effort in their last three games. They also pulled down 19 offensive rebounds which led to 29 second-chance points. That level of productivity is not likely to continue tonight against this Cougars team that holds their opponents to 27.9% shooting in the midrange. And while Miami (FL) out-rebounded the Hoosiers by a 48-to-31 margin, they have then failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 6 games after out-rebounding their last opponent by +15 or more boards. The Hurricanes have covered the point spread in both their NCAA Tournament games — but they have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 9 games after covering the point spread in two straight games. Miami (FL) sees their scoring drop by -5.5 points per 100 possessions when playing on the road. Houston might have played their best 20 minutes of the season in the second half against Auburn by scoring a whopping 41 points against the stout Tigers’ defense. But the defense played a big role in that final 20 minutes as they held Auburn to just four baskets on 17% shooting from the field — and their defense should travel to Kansas City for this contest. It is the Cougars’ defense that leads the way for head coach Kelvin Sampson. Houston ranks fourth in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency — and they lead the nation with an opponent’s field goal percentage of 36.1%. They lead the nation by blocking 16.8% of their opponent’s shots. They have covered the point spread in 9 of their last 11 games on the road after winning two of their last three games.

FINAL TAKE: The Cougars have covered the point spread in 11 of their last 16 games on a neutral court — and they have covered the point spread in 13 of their last 19 games on a neutral court with the Total set in the 130s. 8* CBB Miami (FL)-Houston CBS-TV Special with the Houston Cougars (644) minus the points versus the Miami (FL) Hurricanes (643). Best of luck for us — Frank.

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

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

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

At 6:30 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the San Diego State Aztecs (647) and the Alabama Crimson Tide (648) in the Sweet Sixteen of the NCAA Tournament. THE SITUATION: San Diego State (29-6) has won six in a row and 12 of their last 13 contests with their 75-52 win against Furman as a 4.5-point favorite on Saturday. Alabama (31-5) has won five games in a row with their 73-51 win against Maryland as an 8.5-point favorite as an 8.5-point favorite on Saturday. This game is being played on a neutral court at the KFC Yum! Center in Louisville, Kentucky.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Crimson Tide held the Terrapins to just a 35.2% shooting percentage on Saturday — but that was still the best a team has shot against them in their last five games. Alabama will bring a ferocious defense into this game that ranks third in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. And while they have won nine of their last ten games, they have then played 11 of their last 15 road games Under the Total after winning six or seven of their last eight games. They have also played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 8 of their last 10 games Under the Total after a point-spread victory. Alabama ranks 8th in the nation by taking 47.5% of their shots from behind the arc — but they only make 34.1% of their 3-pointers, ranking 272nd in the nation — and this mark drops to 33.2% when they are playing away from home. And in their last ten games away from home, they are only making 33.0% go their shots from behind the arc which means they are actually a little below base-level efficiency in using “math” to their advantage by lauding almost half of their shots from distance. Now here comes this Aztecs team that plays with a style that can give the Tide fits. San Diego State is a physical team that plays elite-level defense. They will slow the pace to a crawl — using “math” to their advantage by limiting Alabama's scoring chances and letting the pressure of the moment kick in for this number one seed. Despite their opponents attempting 40.5% of their shots from behind the arc, ranking 288th in the nation, these shots are only falling at a 28.7% rate which is the fourth-best mark in the nation. In their last ten games on the road, not only do the Aztecs hold their opponents to 25.5% shooting from behind the arc, they lead the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. San Diego State not only plays with a deliberate pace on offense but their opponents take 18.5 seconds per possession, ranking as the 346th slowest in the nation. They have played 13 of their last 16 games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 6 straight Unders after a point spread victory. The Aztecs have also played 10 of their last 15 games Under the Total after a double-digit victory. San Diego State has played ten straight Unders after not allowing more than 57 points in four straight games — and they have played 7 straight Unders after playing three or more Unders in a row while wreaking havoc with sports bettors whose philosophy is to engage the gambler’s fallacy.

FINAL TAKE: The Aztecs have played 6 straight Unders against teams winning 60 % or more of their games — and they have played 25 of their last 33 games Under the Total on a neutral court. Alabama has played 7 of their last 9 games Under the Total on a neutral court listed as a favorite in the 6.5-9 point range. 10* CBB Friday Daily Discounted O/U Deal with Under the Total in the game between the San Diego State Aztecs (647) and the Alabama Crimson Tide (648). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 6:30 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing the San Diego State Aztecs (647) plus the points versus the Alabama Crimson Tide (648) in the Sweet Sixteen of the NCAA Tournament. THE SITUATION: San Diego State (29-6) has won six in a row and 12 of their last 13 contests with their 75-52 win against Furman as a 4.5-point favorite on Saturday. Alabama (31-5) has won five games in a row with their 73-51 win against Maryland as an 8.5-point favorite as an 8.5-point favorite on Saturday. This game is being played on a neutral court at the KFC Yum! Center in Louisville, Kentucky.

REASONS TO TAKE THE AZTECS PLUS THE POINTS: Alabama will beat everyone in the country if they are making their 3s — they rank 8th in the nation by taking 47.5% of their shots from behind the arc. If they get hot, we’re in trouble (just as we were in catching outlier shooting nights earlier this month with Arizona State in the play-in game and then Northwestern in the first round of the Big Dance). Being on the wrong end of a red-hot shooting night is simply part of the deal when investing daily in college and NBA basketball. The Crimson Tide are a great team because their defense is so good that it offers them a great Plan B if they are only making an average number of their 3-pointers. But Alabama is not likely to cover big point spreads against good teams if they are not nailing a high percentage of the 3s they take. They only make 34.1% of their 3-pointers, ranking 272nd in the nation — and this mark drops to 33.2% when they are playing away from home. And in their last ten games away from home, they are only making 33.0% go their shots from behind the arc which means they are actually a little below base-level efficiency in using “math” to their advantage by lauding almost half of their shots from distance. Alabama ranks 344th in the nation in terms of consistency from game to game. While they have held their last six opponents to 35.2% shooting, they have then failed to cover the point spread in 31 of their last 47 games after not allowing their last two opponents to make 40% or more of their shots. Now here comes this Aztecs team that plays with a style that can give the Tide fits. San Diego State is a physical team that plays elite-level defense. They will slow the pace to a crawl — using “math” to their advantage by limiting Alabama's scoring chances and letting the pressure of the moment kick in for this number one seed. The Aztecs are loaded with experience with three seniors and two juniors in the starting lineup with depth on the bench. Despite their opponents attempting 40.5% of their shots from behind the arc, ranking 288th in the nation, these shots are only falling at a 28.7% rate which is the fourth-best mark in the nation. In their last ten games on the road, not only does San Diego State hold their opponents to 25.5% shooting from behind the arc, they lead the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. Alabama averages 10 made 3s per game from their 30 shots on average from distance. But the Aztecs have covered the point spread in 10 straight games after 15 games into the season against teams averaging 8 or more made 3s per game. San Diego State not only plays with a deliberate pace on offense but their opponents take 18.5 seconds per possession, ranking as the 346th slowest in the nation. The Aztecs crash the glass and outrebound their opponents by +4.9 Rebounds Per-Game — and the Crimson Tide have failed to cover the point spread in 15 of their last 21 games after 15 games into the season against teams who outrebound their opponents by +4.0 or more RPG. San Diego State does not use “math” to their advantage on offense since they like to take midrange jumpers — but  Alabama’s focus on taking away from shots from 3-point land plays into the Aztecs' hands in this matchup. The Crimson Tide are due for a visit from the Regression Gods in this regard as the 32% their opponents are shooting from midrange deviates significantly from the expected 38% field goal percentage based on national averages from where those shots are being taken. Alabama also ranks 290th in the nation in post-up defense — and they foul too much, ranking 222nd in the nation in defensive foul rate. San Diego State has not allowed more than 57 points in four straight games — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 14 of their last 18 games after not allowing more than 65 points in four straight games.

FINAL TAKE: The Aztecs’ style of play has helped them generate a 12-3-2 ATS mark in their last 17 games against teams with a winning percentage of 60% or higher — and they have covered the point spread in 4 straight games on a neutral court. The Crimson Tide has failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games in the NCAA Tournament. 25* CBB Sweet Sixteen Underdog of the Year is with the San Diego State Aztecs (647) plus the points versus the Alabama Crimson Tide (648). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:45 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing the UCLA Bruins (642) minus the point(s) versus the Gonzaga Bulldogs (641) in the Sweet Sixteen of the NCAA Tournament. THE SITUATION: UCLA (31-5) has won 14 of their last 15 games after their 68-63 victory against Northwestern as a 7.5-point favorite on Saturday. Gonzaga (30-5) has won 11 games in a row with their 84-81 victory against TCU as a 4.5-point favorite on Sunday. This game is being played on a neutral court at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

REASONS TO TAKE THE BRUINS MINUS THE POINT(S): The first order of business in assessing UCLA for this game is taking stock of their injury situation. Freshman Jayden Clark is already out the season. Adem Bona missed two games in a row with a shoulder — but he did return to the court on Saturday to play 21 minutes (which is his typical usage). While he is listed as questionable, it is reasonable to assume that Bona can play again five days later. The primary importance for the 6’10 freshman is to play defense against Drew Timme — and an impaired shoulder does not impact his defensive effectiveness as much as it would if his shooting was needed tonight. David Singleton is also questionable after rolling his ankle late in Saturday’s game. Singleton claims that “I’m fine,” for what that is worth. It’s another Patrick Mahomes situation where are guessing at the severity of an ankle injury from television. Head coach Mick Cronin confirmed that the ankle is not broken. He probably plays but is not 100% (like Armando Bacot for North Carolina in last year’s National Championship Game). Singleton is a 6’4 senior who is the team’s best 3-point shooter — but he is still a secondary scorer. I waited until Thursday morning to confirm this play — and there is no morning update so it will likely be a game-time decision for both players. Even if both players do not play, Cronin still has answers with players who have been consistently in the rotation. Kenneth Nwuba is a 6’10 senior who played more minutes in the two games Bona recently missed. Freshman Dylan Andrews gets more time on the court if Singleton is out. The injuries are mounting, but I think the crisis point for Cronin is he loses one more rotation player (assuming Bona and Singleton do not play). The key players for this team remain Jaime Jaquez, Jr. and Tyger Campbell — if either of these players got hurt, it would be devastating. Jaquez, Jr. may be the best player in college basketball this season — and Campbell might be the best point guard in the country. So, let’s keep that perspective in mind. These two have now led the Bruins to their third straight Sweet Sixteen. UCLA will bring an elite defense into this game that is second in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. They allowed Northwestern to make 37.3% of their shots which was the highest opponent’s field goal percentage in their last three games. The Bruins have covered the point spread in 6 straight games after a win by six points or less — and they have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 8 games after a victory where they did not cover the point spread. Their outstanding defense helps them rank third in the nation in Net Adjusted Efficiency when playing away from home. UCLA is 5-1-1 ATS in their last 7 games against teams with a winning record — and they are 4-1-1 ATS in their last 6 games played on a neutral court. Gonzaga has failed to cover the point spread in 13 of their last 17 games on the road after winning their previous game — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games after a win by six points or less. And while they have scored 77 or more points in 11 straight games, they have then failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 9 road games after scoring 75 or more points in three or more games in a row. The Bulldogs lead the nation in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency — but their vulnerability is on the other end of the court. Gonzaga ranks 75th in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency with the biggest problem being their half-court defense given their opponent’s field goal percentage of 51.7%, ranking 245th in the nation. It is this imbalance that often holds the Bulldogs back against their top competition — they are just 6-19-2 ATS in their last 27 games against teams winning 60% or more of their games. I don’t like this matchup for head coach Mark Few’s team. Who will guard Jacquez? UCLA has multiple perimeter players who will likely frustrate the Zags. Furthermore, the Bruins’ elite transition defense will slow down the Gonzaga offensive attack and force them to execute in the half-court. Finally, while Timme leads a formidable frontcourt, the Bulldogs’ backcourt may get exposed in this matchup. Gonzaga has failed to cover the point spread in 12 of their last 15 games played on a neutral court.

FINAL TAKE: Cronin, Jaquez, and Campbell will all have revenge on their minds after losing in overtime to Gonzaga in the Final Four of the 2021 Big Dance. They then lost the rematch the following November to that Bulldogs team — but that group was probably better than Few’s team now with future NBA players Chet Holmgren and Andrew Nembhard (and that 2020-21 team also had Jalen Suggs and Corey Krispert). Gonzaga has failed to cover the point spread in 7 straight games in the NCAA Tournament — and the Bruins have covered the point spread in 8 of their last 11 games in the Big Dance. 25* CBB Sweet Sixteen Game of the Year with the UCLA Bruins (642) minus the point(s) versus the Gonzaga Bulldogs (641). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:00 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing the Florida Atlantic Owls (635) plus the points versus the Tennessee Volunteers (636) in the Sweet 16 in the NCAA Tournament. THE SITUATION: FAU (33-3) has won nine games in a row — and 12 of their last 13 games — with their 78-70 victory against Fairleigh Dickinson as a 16-point favorite on Sunday. Tennessee (25-10) has won three of their last four games with their 65-52 upset win against Duke as a 3-point underdog on Saturday. This game is being played on a neutral court at Madison Square Garden in New York City.

REASONS TO TAKE THE OWLS: FAU is a dangerous underdog in this game. They have covered the point spread in 14 of their last 21 games after winning four or more games in a row — and they are 15-7-1 ATS in their last 23 games after a point spread loss. The Owls are a good shot volume team who will take advantage of most of their scoring opportunities against the great defense they will face with the Volunteers. FAU only turns the ball over in 16.4% of their possessions — ranking 64th in the nation. They also pull down 30.9% of their missed shots, ranking 97th in the nation — and they have 33 offensive rebounds in their two games in this Big Dance.  And this is a team that launches 3s with 43.8% of their shots from the field coming from behind the arc, ranking 38th in the nation. The Owls make 36.7% of their 3-pointers, ranking 41st in the nation. FAU’s outside shooters complement Vladislav Goldin, a 7’1 big man who gives them a legitimate scoring threat inside. Tennessee may be due for a letdown after upsetting Duke and now playing a nine-seed mid-major. As it is, the Volunteers have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after a straight-up win — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a point spread victory. The Vols miss their spark plug on offense in point guard Zakai Zeigler who suffered a season-ending torn ACL in late February. They have only scored 123 combined points in their two Big Dance games. Tennessee sees their scoring drop by -8.0 points per possession when playing away from home.

FINAL TAKE: Tennessee has failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 8 games on a neutral court when favored or a pick ‘em — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 9 games in the NCAA Tournament. They have also failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games against teams winning 60% or more of their games. FAU has covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games on a neutral court as an underdog or pick ‘em — and they are 10-3-1 ATS in their last 14 games against teams with a winning percentage of 60% or higher. 10* CBB Thursday Night Discounted Deal with the Florida Atlantic Owls (635) plus the points versus the Tennessee Volunteers (636). 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 Florida Atlantic Owls (635) and the Tennessee Volunteers (636) in the Sweet 16 in the NCAA Tournament. THE SITUATION: FAU (33-3) has won nine games in a row — and 12 of their last 13 games — with their 78-70 victory against Fairleigh Dickinson as a 16-point favorite on Sunday. Tennessee (25-10) has won three of their last four games with their 65-52 upset win against Duke as a 3-point underdog on Saturday. This game is being played on a neutral court at Madison Square Garden in New York City.

REASONS TO TAKE THE OWLS: FAU held Fairleigh Dickinson to just 38.0% shooting in their victory on Sunday. Four of their last five opponents have not shot better than 38.1% from the field. The Owls rank 33rd in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency — and they give up -1.3 fewer points per 100 possessions when they are playing away from home. But Florida Atlantic scores -5.2 fewer points per 100 possessions when playing on the road on neutral courts or in hostile environments. Tennessee only made 40.4% of their shots in their upset win against Duke — but they nailed 9 of their 21 shots from behind the arc to secure the victory. The Vols miss their spark plug on offense in point guard Zakai Zeigler who suffered a season-ending torn ACL in late February. They have only scored 123 combined points in their two Big Dance games. The Volunteers lead the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency — and they also enjoy the lowest Adjusted Defensive Efficiency when playing on the road. They have played 10 of their last 16 games Under the Total after not allowing more than 55 points in their last game. But Tennessee sees their scoring drop by -8.0 points per possession when playing away from home.

FINAL TAKE: Tennessee has played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total on a neutral court when favored by up to six points or listed as a pick ‘em. FAU has played 5 of their last 6 tournament games Under the Total. 8* CBB FAU-Tennessee TBS-TV O/U Special with Under the Total in the game between the Florida Atlantic Owls (635) plus the points versus the Tennessee Volunteers (636). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:00 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing the Utah Valley Wolverines (627) minus the point(s) versus the Cincinnati Bearcats (628) in the Quarterfinals of the NIT. THE SITUATION: Utah Valley (27-8) pulled off their second-straight upset in this tournament with their 81-69 upset win at Colorado as a 4.5-point underdog on Sunday. Cincinnati (23-12) has won four of their last five games after their 79-65 win at Hofstra as a 1.5-point favorite on Saturday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE WOLVERINES MINUS THE POINT(S): Utah Valley followed up their 83-69 upset win at New Mexico with their upset victory in Boulder against the Buffaloes. Colorado did make 46.8% of their shots which was the worst defensive effort in their last 28 games. The Wolverines rank fourth in the nation with an opponent’s effective field goal percentage of 44.2% propelled by an interior defense that holds their opponents to 43.1% shooting of their 2-point shots, also ranking fourth in the nation. Utah Valley State has covered the point spread in 11 of their last 14 games after a double-digit victory — and they have covered the point spread in 9 of their last 10 games after scoring 80 or more points in their last game. They have also covered the point spread in 12 of their last 13 games after winning three of their last four games. Cincinnati made 52.6% of their shots against the Pride which was the best shooting effort in their last four games. They also held Hofstra to 37.5% shooting which was the best defensive effort in their last three games.

FINAL TAKE: This is a tough road assignment for the Bearcats having to play in the small Wolverines’ gym seating 8500 fans — and it is telling that they are underdogs (or a pick ‘em) in this game. Utah Valley has covered the point spread in 16 of their last 22 games when favored. 8* CBB Wednesday Daily Discounted Deal with the Utah Valley Wolverines (627) minus the point(s) versus the Cincinnati Bearcats (628). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:00 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Wisconsin Badgers (615) and the Oregon Ducks (616) in the Quarterfinals of the NIT. THE SITUATION: Wisconsin (19-14) has won three of their last four games after their 75-71 win against Liberty as a 4-point favorite on Sunday. Oregon (21-14) has won two straight games — and six of their last seven contests — after their 68-54 win against Central Florida as a 2-point favorite on Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: Wisconsin is back to full strength after dealing with injuries during the Big Ten conference play — and they shot a season-high 54.0% from the field in their win against Liberty. Now they go on the road where they have played 20 of their last 27 games Over the Total — and the Over is 22-7-1 in their last 30 road games against teams winning 60% or more of their games. The Badgers score +6.8 more points per 100 possessions on the road than at home — but they also give up +5.2 more points per 100 possessions when playing in hostile environments. Oregon entered the season with high expectations — but injuries and inconsistencies kept this team from making the NCAA Tournament. They beat Arizona in mid-January — but they also suffered two three-game losing streaks. The Ducks are dealing with some injuries with three regulars in their rotation, Will Richardson, N’Faly Dante, and Jermaine Couisnard, all questionable to play tonight. But for big programs like Oregon, the NIT is an opportunity to establish momentum for next season by giving the younger players an opportunity — and this trio of players has yet to play in the NIT due to these injuries. The absence of the 6’11 Dante has created more opportunities for a pair of seven-footers in Nate Brittle and Kel’el Ware. Brittle is a sophomore who has scored 21 and 17 points for the Ducks in their two NIT victories. Ware is a freshman who has added 11 and 9 points in the NIT. Without Richardson and Couisnard, some veterans have stepped up with senior Quincy Guerrier scoring 16 points against Central Florida and senior Rivaldo Soares contributing 21 points in their first NIT game which was an 84-58 win against UC-Irvine. Remember, Oregon was considered to have one of the top ten rosters in the nation entering the season. The Ducks make 46.7% of their shots at home which results in them scoring 73.8 Points-Per-Game — and they are scoring a robust 116.7 points per 100 possessions when playing at home, ranking 31st in the nation over that span.

FINAL TAKE: Wisconsin takes 23 shots from behind the arc per game while Oregon takes 22 shots from 3-point land per game. The Badgers have played 7 of their last 8 games on the road Over the Total against teams who average 21 or more shots from 3-point land per game — and the Ducks have played 17 of their last 23 games after 15 games into the season Over the Total against teams who take 21 or more 3-pointers per game. 8* CBB Tuesday Daily Discounted O/U Deal with Over the Total in the game between the Wisconsin Badgers (615) and the Oregon Ducks (616). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:00 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing the Oregon Ducks (616) minus the points versus the Wisconsin Badgers (615) in the Quarterfinals of the NIT. THE SITUATION: Oregon (21-14) has won two straight games — and six of their last seven contests — after their 68-54 win against Central Florida as a 2-point favorite on Sunday. Wisconsin (19-14) has won three of their last four games after their 75-71 win against Liberty as a 4-point favorite on Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE DUCKS MINUS THE POINTS: Oregon entered the season with high expectations — but injuries and inconsistencies kept this team from making the NCAA Tournament. They beat Arizona in mid-January — but they also suffered two three-game losing streaks. The Ducks are dealing with some injuries with three regulars in their rotation, Will Richardson, N’Faly Dante, and Jermaine Couisnard, all questionable to play tonight. But for big programs like Oregon, the NIT is an opportunity to establish momentum for next season by giving the younger players an opportunity — and this trio of players has yet to play in the NIT due to these injuries. The absence of the 6’11 Dante has created more opportunities for a pair of seven-footers in Nate Brittle and Kel’el Ware. Brittle is a sophomore who has scored 21 and 17 points for the Ducks in their two NIT victories. Ware is a freshman who has added 11 and 9 points in the NIT. Without Richardson and Couisnard, some veterans have stepped up with senior Quincy Guerrier scoring 16 points against Central Florida and senior Rivaldo Soares contributing 21 points in their first NIT game which was an 84-58 win against UC-Irvine. Remember, Oregon was considered to have one of the top ten rosters in the nation entering the season. They have covered the point spread in 23 of their last 32 home games after winning two games in a row by double-digits. Playing at home at Knight Arena certainly helps where they are holding their opponents to just 38.7% shooting which has resulted in only 63.3 Points-Per-Game. They have a 15-5 record with a +10.5 net point differential. The Ducks have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games at home — and they have covered the point spread in 25 of their last 35 home games after 15 games into the season against teams winning 51% to 60% of their games. They have also covered the point spread in 8 of their last 11 home games when favored by up to six points or listed as a pick ‘em. Wisconsin is back to full strength after dealing with injuries during the Big Ten conference play — but this is not one of head coach Greg Gard’s more talented teams. They shot a season-high 54.0% from the field in their win against Liberty — but that was at home where they have a 50.4% effective field goal percentage. But on the road, the Badgers are making only 41.0% of their shots. Wisconsin is 0-9-2 ATS in their last 11 games after a straight-up win. They have failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 9 games on the road — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 8 road games against teams with a winning percentage of 60% or higher at home.

FINAL TAKE: Wisconsin has failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 9 games after 15 games into the season against teams who are winning 60% to 80% of their games. Oregon has covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games against teams with a winning record. If Richardson, Dante, and/or Couisnard can play tonight, that is even better for Altman. 25* CBB NIT Quarterfinals Game of the Year with the Oregon Ducks (616) minus the points versus the Wisconsin Badgers (615). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:40 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing the TCU Horned Frogs (851) plus the points versus the Gonzaga Bulldogs (852) in the Round of 32 in the NCAA Tournament. THE SITUATION: TCU (22-12) has won two of their last three games with their 72-70 victory against Arizona State as a 5-point favorite on Friday. Gonzaga (29-5) has won ten games in a row with their 82-70 victory against Grand Canyon as a 15-point favorite on Friday. This game is being played on a neutral court at Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado.

REASONS TO TAKE THE HORNED FROGS PLUS THE POINTS: The Bulldogs tend to be overvalued by the betting market. They have failed to cover the point spread in 12 of their last 16 games after a straight-up win — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 12 of their last 17 games after a double-digit victory. Gonzaga has scored at least 77 points in ten straight games — but they have failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last  8 games on the road after scoring at least 75 points in three games in a row. And in their last 5 games on the road for a second game in three days, they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of these contests. The Bulldogs lead the nation in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency — but they score -3.6 fewer points per 100 possessions when they are playing away from home. While head coach Mark Few’s team is outstanding on offense, they are lacking on the other end of the court. They rank 81st in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. They have failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 15 games against teams outside the West Coast Conference — and they are 7-20-2 ATS in their last 29 games against teams with a winning record. TCU survived the Sun Devils’ more difficult defense despite making only 35.5% of their shots in what was the worst defensive effort in their last six games. Their game with Arizona State finished Under the Total — and the Horned Frogs have covered the point spread in 21 of their last 31 games on the road after playing an Under in their last game. TCU has covered the point spread just once in their last five games — but they have then covered the point spread in 7 of their last 11 games after failing to cover the point spread in four or five of their last six games. They have also covered the point spread in 14 of their last 19 games when playing for the second time in the last eight days. Head coach Jamie Dixon’s team is balanced. They rank 23rd in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. They force turnovers in 21.9% of their opponent’s possessions, ranking 23rd in the nation. They pull down 32.5% of their missed shots, ranking 58th in the nation. They can struggle against teams with an elite defense — but that is not this Gonzaga team.

FINAL TAKE: TCU has covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games played on a neutral court as an underdog or as a pick 'em. 10* CBB Sunday Late Show Bailout with the TCU Horned Frogs (851) plus the points versus the Gonzaga Bulldogs (852). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:40 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the TCU Horned Frogs (851) and the Gonzaga Bulldogs (852) in the Round of 32 in the NCAA Tournament. THE SITUATION: TCU (22-12) has won two of their last three games with their 72-70 victory against Arizona State as a 5-point favorite on Friday. Gonzaga (29-5) has won ten games in a row with their 82-70 victory against Grand Canyon as a 15-point favorite on Friday. This game is being played on a neutral court at Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Horned Frogs survived their game with the Sun Devils despite allowing them to make 48.1% of their shots. TCU ranks 23rd in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. They have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after a victory as the favorite where they did not cover the points spread. And while the Horned Frogs have only covered the point spread once in their last five games, they have then played 9 of their last 11 games Under the Total after failing to cover the point spread in three of their last four games. Gonzaga has played six straight Unders after winning five or more games in a row. The Bulldogs lead the nation in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency — but they score -3.6 fewer points per 100 possessions when they are playing away from home. Gonzaga has played 7 of their last 8 games Under the Total after 15 games into the season against teams winning 60-80% of their games.

 FINAL TAKE: TCU has played 12 of their last 15 games Under the Total in March — and they have played 9 of their last 13 games Under the Total in the NCAA Tournament. 8* CBB TCU-Gonzaga Under the Total in the game between the TCU Horned Frogs (851) and the Gonzaga Bulldogs (852). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:40 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing the Miami (FL) Hurricanes (839) plus the point(s) versus the Indiana Hoosiers (840) in the Round of 32 in the NCAA Tournament. THE SITUATION: Miami (FL) (26-7) has won three of their last four games with their 63-56 win against Drake as a 2.5-point favorite on Friday. Indiana (23-11) has won three of their last four games after their 71-60 victory against Kent State as a 4-point favorite on Friday. This game is being played on a neutral court at the MVP Arena in Albany, New York.

REASONS TO TAKE THE HURRICANES PLUS THE POINTS: Miami survived their game with the Bulldogs despite shooting a season-low 30.4% from the field. They should shoot better tonight and approach or exceed their 48.1% field goal percentage on the season. The Hurricanes rank 21st in the nation in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency with an effective field goal percentage of 54.4%, ranking 24th in the nation. Their Adjusted Net Efficiency when playing on the road ranks 18th in the nation — and it is due to their improved play on defense when playing away from home. Miami (FL) allows -11.8 fewer points per 100 possessions when playing on the road. They have covered the point spread in 11 of their last 14 games against teams winning 60-80% of their games. Indiana has failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 13 games after a double-digit victory. The Hoosiers rank 34th in the nation in Adjusted Net Efficiency when playing on the road — which makes them a questionable favorite in this game. And while they improve to 26th in the nation in their last ten games when playing away from home, the Hurricanes rank 14th in the nation in their last ten games on the road. Indiana scores -4.7 fewer points per 100 possessions when playing away from home. They are only making 32.7% of their shots from behind the arc on the road in their last ten games, ranking 237th in the nation during that span.

FINAL TAKE: The Hurricanes have covered the point spread in 17 of their last 22 games as an underdog. 10* CBB Sunday Night Discounted Deal with the Miami (FL) Hurricanes (839) plus the point(s) versus the Indiana Hoosiers (840). Best of luck for us — Frank.

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

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

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

At 7:10 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing the Creighton Bluejays (849) minus (or plus) the point(s) versus the Baylor Bears (850) in the Round of 32 in the NCAA Tournament. THE SITUATION: Creighton (22-12) has won four of their last five games after their 72-63 win against NC State as a 5.5-point favorite on Friday in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. Baylor (23-10) snapped a two-game losing streak with their 74-56 win against UC Santa Barbara as a 10.5-point favorite on Friday. This game will be played on a neutral court at Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado.

REASONS TO TAKE THE BLUEJAYS PLUS THE POINTS: Creighton was undervalued as a six seed: one of the power rankings systems I use rates them as the 14th best team in the nation, one spot ahead of Baylor at #15. The Bluejays are a balanced team that ranks in the top-27 in both Adjusted Offensive and Defensive Efficiency using those metrics. They match up well with the Bears whose biggest weakness is their interior defense which has open spaces from the zone defenses head coach Scott Drew likes to deploy. Baylor ranks 315th in the nation by allowing their opponents to make 53.4% of their shots inside the arc. Creighton converts on 54.8% of their 2-point shots, ranking 22nd in the nation. The Bears allow their opponents to make 45.4% of their shots — and head coach Greg McDermott’s team has covered the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games after 15 games into the season against teams with an opponent’s field goal percentage of 45% or higher. The Bluejays are outstanding on the other end of the court where they rank 13th in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. Baylor wants to shoot 3s when they have the ball — they rank 31st in the nation with a 37.1% shooting percentage from behind the arc. But Creighton makes it hard for their opponents to get off 3-pointers as they rank ninth in the nation with their opponents only taking 29.6% of their shots from behind the arc — and their opponents only generate 27.6% of their points from made 3-pointers, the 289th lowest mark in the nation. And while the Bears crash the glass by pulling down 34.5% of their missed shots, ranking 15th in the nation, the Bluejays limit their opponents to rebounding a mere 23.3% of their missed shots in their road games, ranking fifth best in the nation. This combination of characteristics has helped Creighton cover the point spread in 31 of their last 48 games against teams with a winning record. Baylor made 54.9% of their shots against the Gauchos but that was the best shooting effort in their last 27 games They have then failed to cover the point spread in 4 straight games after covering the point spread as a double-digit favorite. Additionally, the Bears have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 8 games after not allowing more than 60 points in their last game — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 8 games after a win by 15 or more points. And in their last 7 games when playing for just the second time in eight days, Baylor has failed to cover the point spread 5 times.

FINAL TAKE: Creighton has covered the point spread in 11 of their last 14 games played on a neutral court — and they have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games in the NCAA Tournament. 25* CBB Second Round NCAA Tournament Game of the Year with the Creighton Bluejays (849) minus (or plus) the point(s) versus the Baylor Bears (850). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 12:10 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing the Xavier Musketeers (846) minus the points versus the Pittsburgh Panthers (845) in the Round of 32 in the NCAA Tournament. THE SITUATION: Xavier (26-9) has won six of their last seven games after their 72-67 victory against Kent State as a 12-point favorite on Friday. Pittsburgh (24-11) has won two games in a row with their 59-41 upset victory against Iowa State as a 4-point underdog on Friday. This game is being played on a neutral court at the Greensboro Coliseum in Greensboro, North Carolina.

REASONS TO TAKE THE MUSKETEERS MINUS THE POINTS: The Panthers have pulled off two straight upsets in this tournament after beating Mississippi State by a 60-59 score as a 2.5-point underdog in a play-in game on Wednesday. Head coach Jeff Capel has pulled off a minor miracle this week in getting his team to play better defense. They held the Cyclones to 23.3% shooting which was the best defensive effort for them all season. And when they limited the Bulldogs to 38.1% shooting earlier in the week, that was the best defensive effort in their last eight games. Unfortunately for the Pittsburgh faithful, the bad shooting from Mississippi State and Iowa State deserves some of the credit/blame for those numbers. The Panthers enters this tournament allowing their previous five opponents to make 50.3% of their shots which resulted in 85.0 Points-Per-Game that they were giving up. In their loss to Duke in the ACC Tournament, the Blue Devils made 62.1% of their shots. Now Pittsburgh has to play a Musketeers team that ranks 8th in the nation in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency. The Panthers enter this game ranked 127th in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency — so I do expect a visit from the Regression Gods this afternoon. Furthermore, the Panthers have pulled off these upsets despite making a season-low 34.1% of their shots against the Cyclones after a 38.9% shooting effort against Mississippi State. And there is nothing really under the hood that is explaining these victories outside facing opponents that were even more dreadful shooting the basketball. Pitt has only pulled down 13 offensive rebounds in both games. The Bulldogs turned the ball over too much on Wednesday but Iowa State committed only eight turnovers representing 12.9% of their possessions. The Panthers have failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 14 games after holding their previous opponent to a field goal percentage of 28% or less. Xavier is a rock-solid team that ranks 16th in the nation in Adjusted Net Efficiency using the Ken Pomeroy metrics. The Musketeers have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games after winning their previous one as a favorite but not covering the point spread. They have also covered the point spread in 10 of their last 14 games after a point spread loss — and they have covered the point spread in 8 of their last 10 games on the road after a point spread loss. They rank 10th in the nation with an effective field goal percentage of 55.4% — and they are fourth in the nation with a 39.1% shooting percentage from behind the arc. on the road, Xavier still ranks ninth in the nation in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency with a 54.6% effective field goal percentage — and their 3-point shooting actually improves to 40.2%, ranking fourth in the nation. The Musketeers have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games on the road when playing their second game in three days. They have also covered the point spread in 29 of their last 44 games on the road in the postseason.

FINAL TAKE: Xavier is 14-5-1 ATS in their last 20 games against teams with a winning percentage of 60% or higher — and they are 24-8-2 ATS in their last 34 games in the Big Dance. 10* CBB Pittsburgh-Xavier CBS-TV Special with the Xavier Musketeers (846) minus the points versus the Pittsburgh Panthers (845). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:40 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the Maryland Terrapins (805) plus the points versus the Alabama Crimson Tide (806) in the Round of 32 in the NCAA Tournament. THE SITUATION: Maryland (22-12) has won two of their last three games after their 67-65 upset win against West Virginia as a 2.5-point underdog on Thursday. Alabama (30-5) has won eight of their last nine games with their 96-75 win against Texas A&M Corpus Christi as a 24-point favorite on Thursday. This game is being played on a neutral court at the Legacy Arena in Birmingham, Alabama.

REASONS TO TAKE THE TERRAPINS PLUS THE POINTS: Maryland will present a stiff challenge to the Crimson Tide — they rank 21st in Ken Pomeroy’s Net Adjusted Efficiency rankings system. The Terrapins rank in the top-33 in both Adjusted Offensive and Defensive Efficiency. This balanced and well-rounded team has covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games against teams with a winning percentage of 60% or higher. Alabama has failed to cover the point spread in 17 of their last 22 games after scoring at least 85 points in their last game — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 24 of their last 33 games after scoring at least 90 or more points in their last game.

At 7:45 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the Texas Longhorns (812) minus the points versus the Penn State Nittany Lions (811) in the Round of 32 of the NCAA Tournament. THE SITUATION: Texas (27-8) is on a five-game winning streak after their 81-61 win against Colgate as a 12.5-point favorite on Thursday. Penn State (23-13) has won nine of their last 11 games with their 76-59 upset victory against Texas A&M as a 2.5-point underdog on Thursday. This game is being played on a neutral court at the Wells Fargo Center in Des Moines, Iowa.

REASONS TO TAKE THE LONGHORNS MINUS THE POINTS: Texas held the Raiders to just 43.1% shooting which was actually the highest-opponent field goal percentage in their last five games. Colgate missed 12 of their 15 shots from behind the arc. The Longhorns rank seventh in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency when they are playing on the road. They have not allowed more than 61 points in five straight games — and they have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after not allowing more than 65 points in two or more games in a row. Texas has played six straight Unders — and they have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 9 games after playing three or more Unders in a row. Penn State made 48.2% of their shots in their upset win against the Aggies while nailing 13 of their 22 (59.1%) from behind the arc. Not only was that the best shooting effort in their last four games but their 3-point shooting performance was well above their 37.9% shooting percentage from behind the arc when playing on the road. Texas A&M only made 33.3% of their shots which was the lowest opponent field goal percentage in the Nittany Lions' last three games. But defense is not a strength for Penn State which ranks 106th in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency when playing on the road. The Nittany Lions have played their last two games Under the Total — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 17 of their last 26 games after playing two or more Unders in a row. Penn State lives and dies by the 3-point shot — and they partied like it was 1999 on Thursday against the Aggies. But when the shots stop falling and the hangover arrives, they lack a credible Plan B. They rank 357th in the nation by rebounding 19.4% of their missed shots when playing on the road. They rank 363rd in the nation by forcing turnovers in 11.6% of their opponent’s possessions when playing on the road.

FINAL TAKE: Texas has covered the point spread in 6 straight games against teams with a winning record — and they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games in the NCAA Tournament. 20* CBB Saturday Daily Discounted Deal with the Texas Longhorns (812) minus the points versus the Penn State Nittany Lions (811). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 6:10 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the Missouri Tigers (814) minus the points versus the Princeton Tigers (813) in the Round of 32 in the NCAA Tournament. THE SITUATION: Missouri (25-9) won for the sixth time in their last seven games with their 76-65 upset win against Utah State as a 1.5-point underdog on Thursday. Princeton (22-8) is on a five-game winning streak after their 59-55 victory against Arizona as a 15-point underdog on Thursday. This game is being played on a neutral court at the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, California.

REASONS TO TAKE MISSOURI MINUS THE POINTS: The Tigers from the SEC should build off their momentum in this game as they have covered the point spread in 9 of their last 11 games after a double-digit victory. They have also covered the point spread in 20 of their last 20 games after playing a game that finished Under the Total. Missouri is one of the best offensive teams in the nation — not only do they shoot the ball well but they protect the basketball to help take full advantage of each of their possessions. When playing on the road on neutral courts or hostile environments, they rank 24th in the nation with an effective field goal percentage of 53.4% — and they are top-30 in the nation in both 3-point shooting and shooting inside the arc when away from home. They also only turn the ball over in 15.6% of their possessions, ranking 26th in the nation. This combination of qualities helps Mizzou to rank fourth in the nation in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency when playing on the road. They also force turnovers in 23.4% of their opponent’s possessions when playing on the road, ranking seventh in the nation. While one of the power rankings I track considers Missouri the 52nd-best team in the nation, they zoom up to 24th in the nation when assessing play on the road. Princeton has pulled off two straight upset wins after beating Yale as the host team in the Ivy League Tournament last Saturday before their win against Arizona on Thursday. But that triumph may have had more to do with the Wildcats giving that game away. Arizona only shot 42.1% from the field while missing 33 shots. The Wildcats turned the ball over 13 times and only pulled down seven offensive rebounds. They had six of their shots blocked while only blocking one shot themselves. The Tigers from the Ivy League only shot 40.6% from the field while converting a mere 4 of their 25 (16%) shots from behind the arc. They have only made 29.8% of their shots from 3-point range in their last ten games away from home, ranking 317th in the nation. Princeton has failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after an upset win in their last game. They have also failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 13 games after winning five or more games in a row. This team ranks just 86th in the nation in Adjusted Net Efficiency when playing away from home.

FINAL TAKE: Princeton makes 45.5% of their shots — but Missouri has covered the point spread in 8 of their last 10 games against teams who make 45% or more of their shots. Head coach Denis Gates 'team has also covered the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games played on a neutral court. 20* CBB Princeton-Missouri TNT Special with the Missouri Tigers (814) minus the points versus the Princeton Tigers (813). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 12:10 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the San Diego State Aztecs (802) minus the points versus the Furman Paladins (801) in the Round of 32 in the NCAA Tournament. THE SITUATION: San Diego State (28-6) has won five straight games — and 11 of their last 12 contests — after their 63-57 victory against the College of Charleston as a 5.5-point favorite on Thursday. Furman (28-7) comes off their 68-67 upset victory against Virginia as a 5.5-point underdog on Thursday. This game is being played on a neutral court at the Amway Center in Orlando, Florida.

REASONS TO TAKE THE AZTECS MINUS THE POINTS: The Mountain West Conference champions are peaking at the right time of the season - and they should continue their momentum in this game. The Aztecs are 9-4-1 ATS in their last 14 games after a straight-up win — and they are 7-3-1 ATS in their last 11 games after a point spread victory. And while they have covered the point spread in three straight games, they have then covered the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games after covering the point spread in three of their last four games. Head coach Brian Dutcher’s team is tightening things up on the defensive end of the court. They have held their last five opponents to 35.3% shooting which is resulting in them only scoring 54.6 Points-Per-Game. San Diego State has not allowed more than 61 points in five straight games while playing nine games in a row Under the Total. They have then covered the point spread in 13 of their last 17 games after not allowing more than 65 points in four or more games in a row. They have also covered the point spread in 6 of their last 9 games after playing three or more Unders in a row. They now rank 10th in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency — and they are 6-1-1 ATS in their last 8 games against teams winning 60% or more of their games. Furman lives by their 3-point shooting — they rank 12th in the nation by taking 46.5% of their shots from behind the arc. The Paladins attempt 27 shots from 3-point range per game — and they average eight made 3s per contest. But the Aztecs have covered the point spread in 12 of their last 17 games after 15 games into the season against opponents who attempt 21 or more shots from distance per contest — and they have covered the point spread in 9 straight games after 15 games into the season against teams who average 8 or more made 3-pointers per game. San Diego State limits their opponents to just 28.9% of their shots from behind the arc, ranking sixth best in the nation. The College of Charleston entered their game with the Aztecs on Thursday ranked ninth in the nation by taking 47.4% of their shots from behind the arc — but San Diego State held them to just a 5 of 24 (20.8%) shooting clip on those shots. Furman has failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games when playing for the second time in eight days. The Paladins have played three straight Overs — but they have failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 12 games after playing three or more Overs in a row. They have also failed to cover the point spread in 38 of their last 56 games on the road after playing two straight Overs.

FINAL TAKE: Furman has failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 12 games on a neutral court as an under of six points or less. San Diego State has covered the point spread in 15 of their last 24 games played on a neutral court when favored by 3.5 to 6 points. 10* CBB Furman-San Diego State CBS-TV Special with the San Diego State Aztecs (802) minus the points versus the Furman Paladins (801). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:45 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing the Kent State Golden Flashes (771) plus the points versus the Indiana Hoosiers (772) in the Round of 64 in the NCAA Tournament. THE SITUATION: Kent State (28-6) has won six games in a row and 10 of their last 11 contests after their 93-78 victory against Toledo in the Mid-American Conference Championship Game in a pick ‘em contest last Saturday. Indiana (22-11) was on a two-game winning streak before their 77-73 upset loss to Penn State as a 3.5-point favorite in the Semifinals of the Big Ten Conference Tournament last Saturday. This game is being played on a neutral court at MVP Arena in Albany, New York.

REASONS TO TAKE THE GOLDEN FLASHES PLUS THE POINTS: Kent State is a veteran team that will be very confident that they can pull the upset tonight. They lost to Houston and Gonzaga by just five points and seven points earlier in the season. They engage in a style of play that produces upsets. They are a very good defensive team that led the Mid-American Conference and ranked 41st in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. They rank 20th in the nation by forcing turnovers in 22.6% of their opponent’s possession. They were second in the MAC by pulling down 33.0% of their missed shots. And they can slow games down with their tough defense — their opponents averaged 17.7 seconds per possession, the 201st slowest mark in the nation. The Golden Flashes are 27-11-1 ATS in their last 39 games after a straight-up win. They have covered the point spread in 17 of their last 20 games after a point-spread victory. They have scored at least 79 points in six straight games — and not only have they covered the point spread in 12 of their last 16 games after scoring 75 or more points in two straight games, they have also covered the point spread in 9 of their last 10 games after scoring 75 or more points in three straight games. Furthermore, they have covered the point spread in 4 straight games played on a neutral court. Indiana has failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 13 games after an upset loss in their previous game. And while they have only covered the point spread once in their last four games, they have then failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 9 games after failing to cover the point spread in two of their last three games. The Hoosiers are a good team that one of the power rankings I use has as the 31st team in the nation — but they do fall to 42nd in the nation when playing away from home. Kent State ranks 76th in that power rankings system — and they jump to 66th in the nation when playing away from home. Indiana’s style of play makes them vulnerable if their shots are not falling. They only pull down 28.0% of their missed shots, ranking 201st in the nation. They force turnovers in just 16.3% of their opponent’s possessions, ranking 295th in the nation.

FINAL TAKE: As a team from the Mid-American Conference, Kent State would love to shock a blue blood Big Ten program. They have covered the point spread in 10 of their last 11 games against teams outside the MAC. They are 14-5-1 ATS in their last 20 games against teams with a winning percentage of 60% or higher. Indiana has failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games against teams with a winning record — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games when seeded at four or higher (better) in the NCAA Tournament. 25* CBB First Round NCAA Tournament Underdog of the Year with the Kent State Golden Flashes (771) plus the points versus the Indiana Hoosiers (772). Best of luck for us — Frank.