Sports Picks & Predictions

This is a play on the PURDUE BOILERMAKERS for our National Championship Crusher. The chalk again came through in the Final Four as the favorites have had the biggest NCAA Tournament of all time and after Saturday, the public has cleaned up as in the NCAA Tournament this season, favorites of eight points or more are 20-5 (80 percent) against the number. This number has not reached that yet but it is close and this is the contrarian move to close the season with nearly 80 percent of the money on the Huskies which are now 11-0 ATS over the last two NCAA Tournaments. Connecticut is an absurd +125 in scoring differential in this tournament but Purdue is not far behind as it is +98 and this is the first time since 1960 that the National Title game has featured two teams that have outscored their opponents by 19 ppg or more. These teams are on more of a level field than what this line is saying with the Boilermakers coming in 31-4 in non-Quad 4 games and the Huskies 27-3. This is a rare spot for Purdue which has not been an underdog of more than six points since 2021. With the run the Huskies are on, the number is certainly inflated and this is the highest spread of No. 1 seeds facing each other since 1999 so taking everything into account, this is a number play backing a Purdue team that is narrowly behind Connecticut in the NET rankings and has a better Q score. 10* (675) Purdue Boilermakers

This is a play on the ALABAMA CRIMSON TIDE for our ALA/UCONN Final Four Crusher. We are going contrarian with Alabama as it continues to shoot at a high level and will obviously need to continue that, bringing in the No. 1 ranked scoring offense in the country. Alabama had no issues with its two mid-major opponents as it beat Charleston and Grand Canyon by double digits and then got quality wins over North Carolina and Clemson to get confidence and momentum back for a team that limped into the NCAA Tournament with losses in four of its previous six games. The Huskies ATS run has reached historic levels as they are the 1st team in seeding era to win and cover 10 straight games and going back, the Huskies are on a 26-6 ATS run in the NCAA Tournament, covering 14 of those games by double digits. No one wants to step in front of this train and the number has been on the move with over two-thirds of the tickets and the money on Connecticut which has pushed the number from -10.5 opening to -12 in most places as of Wednesday afternoon. Looking overall, the public has cleaned up as in the NCAA Tournament this season, favorites of eight points or more are 18-5 (78.3 percent) against the number. Free throw shooting is a big factor in these games and Alabama has a big edge. The Tide shoot 78.6 percent from the stripe while Connecticut shoots 73.9 percent which is still good but teams that shoot 75 percent or higher going up teams that shoot less than 75 percent are 85-54-2 ATS (61.2 percent) since 2018. 10* (671) Alabama Crimson Tide

This is a play on the NC STATE WOLFPACK for our NCST/PUR Final Four Dominator. This is the contrarian call and we say contrarian based on the line and the seeding for NC State but not based on the early betting moves which does tell the story early on. The Wolfpack have garnered 75 percent of the money and 65 percent of the tickets but the number has not moved. It has been an historic run for NC State as it has won nine straight games to make it to its first Final Four in over 40 years and this from a team that was not even on the bubble to make the NCAA Tournament. Its 14 losses are the most ever for any team to make the Final Four. Eight of those losses were Quad 1 defeats but only two of those were by more points than what the Wolfpack are getting here and those were against Duke and North Carolina. Purdue is the big chalk for a reason and it has it all to win the National Championship as the Boilermakers are elite on both sides of the ball, ranked No. 2 on offense and No. 16 on defense in the country and of course are led by center Zach Edey, who has won the Naismith Player of the Year two seasons in a row. Purdue has played 21 games away from home and has gone 17-4 but only seven of those wins have come by more than eight points, two of those coming against non-major teams, three against Big Ten teams that did not make the NCAA Tournament and the other two against Gonzaga by 10 and 12 points and those latter two are the only true quality victories. 10* (673) NC State Wolfpack

This is a play on the INDIANA ST. SYCAMORES for our NIT Game of the Year. The analysis remains the same for the Sycamores from their game on Monday. Although Indiana St. could not get out of the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament, it should have gained a berth in the NCAA Tournament as the Sycamores finished No. 28 in NET rankings and were by far the highest rated team to not make the tournament. This team looks to be on a mission with a huge chip on their shoulder and this venue favors them as they will have the crowd on their side. The Sycamores feature three players that shoot at least 40 percent from long range and they shoot 38.3 percent as team from behind the arc which is No. 11 in the country. They did not shoot great from long range against Utah but still won by 10 points as they shot 80.7 percent from two. Seton Hall jumped out to an 18-3 lead over Georgia and never looked back. The Pirates led by as many as 24 points in the second half but the Bulldogs did mount a comeback as they got it to within 12 points with just under six minutes left so the Seton Hall starters did not get a break in a game in which they should have. The Pirates have rolled in their last three games after barely getting by St. Joes in the NIT opener so while playing great, they are just No. 67 in NET ranking and while they can out-physical teams, Indiana St. proved it can handle that as it did against Utah. 10* (681) Indiana St. Sycamores

This is a play on the INDIANA ST. SYCAMORES for our NIT Annihilator. Although Indiana St. could not get out of the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament, it should have gained a berth in the NCAA Tournament as the Sycamores finished No. 28 in NET rankings and were by far the highest rated team to not make the tournament. This team looks to be on a mission with a huge chip on their shoulder and this venue favors them as they will have the crowd on their side. The Sycamores feature three players that shoot at least 40 percent from long range and they shoot 38.3 percent as team from behind the arc which is No. 11 in the country. Utah used its huge home court advantage to roll through the first three games of the NIT and winning away from home kept the Utes out of the NCAA Tournament. They went 17-2 at home but won only five games outside of Salt Lake City with just two of those victories coming after November. Utah has a big size advantage but it does not help them defensively, especially on the perimeter where the Utes are No. 223 in three-point shooting defense. Additionally, they are one of the worst free throw shooting teams in the country, hitting only 65 percent from the stripe which is No. 348 in the nation. Here, we play against underdogs after successfully covering the spread in three or more consecutive games, playing with five or six days of rest. This situation is 149-112 ATS (57.1 percent) over the last five seasons. 10* (662) Indiana St. Sycamores

This is a play on the DUKE BLUE DEVILS for our Elite 8 Game of the Year. It has been an improbable run for No. 11 seed NC State as it has now won eight straight games to get to the Elite 8. After winning five games in five days in the ACC Tournament, the Wolfpack have carried that momentum into the NCAA Tournament with three wins but it is safe to say, they have been fortunate. This is not a very good defense despite what the numbers have shown as on the season, NC State finished No. 280 in opponent three-point percentage and it leaves opponents wide open as Texas Tech, Oakland and Marquette simply could not make their shots as they went a combined 23-97 (23.7 percent) so if any one of those teams shot their average, NC State would not even be here. Duke rolled over a couple mid-majors in the first two rounds and then took out No. 1 seed Houston on Friday. The Blue Devils no doubt caught a break as Houston played the final 26-plus minutes without All-American Jamal Shead and he means more to this team than arguably any other team in the country. That being said, Duke took advantage of it and now catches an overachieving team at the right time. The Blue Devils are No. 21 in Effective Field Goal Percentage and No. 31 in Turnover Rate and they are elite from long range, finishing No. 13 in the country in three-point shooting. They went just 5-20 against the Wolfpack in the ACC Tournament loss so hit their shots here and they roll. 10* (658) Duke Blue Devils

This is a play on the ALABAMA CRIMSON TIDE for our Sat. Elite 8 Annihilator. Clemson is coming off the big upset of Arizona which was the third straight game in the NCAA Tournament where the defense was the difference as it has forced 32 turnovers and that has been something it has been unable to do on a consistent basis this season as they are No. 344 in Turnover Percentage. Alabama is also off an upset as it defeated North Carolina as it outshot the Tar Heels by close to 10 percent. The offensive metrics are not great for the Tide but they are the highest scoring offense in the country and three-point shooting will play a big role and the law of averages favor Alabama. The Tide average 11 made three-pointers per game while being held to fewer than nine only 10 times and Clemson is 5-5 on the season when it allows 10 or more long balls and 8-8 when allowing nine or more. One of the exceptions to this was in the first meeting when Alabama made 11 three-pointers in the loss but the Tigers but the difference was on the other side where Clemson was 11-21 (52 percent) from long range. Alabama is 0-4 when teams shoot 44 percent or better from behind the arc and while that was one of those losses, Clemson has shot 44 percent or more only six times so that first meeting was an aberration. Alabama is 17-8 ATS as a favorite this season while going 6-0 ATS after allowing 45 or more points in the first half. 10* (654) Alabama Crimson Tide

This is a play on the TENNESSEE VOLUNTEERS for our Fri. Sweet 16 Enforcer. We had the unfortunate curse of having the underdog in a game that went to overtime, in this case double overtime, as Oregon had its chances but lost to Creighton by 13 points as its depth became an issue late. Creighton has been a very popular No. 3 seed to make the deep run but they do not do two important things well as they do not force turnovers and do not get to the free throw line as they are ranked No. 362 in Defensive Turnover Percentage and No. 353 in Free Throw Rate. The Bluejays rely on the pick-and-roll to set up its three-point shots where it is above average at No. 54 in the country but the Volunteers match up well as they are No. 18 in pick-and-roll defense while allowing under 15 percent of total three-pointers taken to be left unguarded. That is only part of the defense that is raked No. 3 in Adjusted Efficiency Defense and that is why Tennessee is here as it was able to overcome an awful shooting night against Texas where it hit only 33.8 percent of its shots. Dalton Knecht led the Volunteers with 18 points but was just 5-18 from the floor and we expect a much better effort here after averaging 25.5 ppg in SEC action. The narrative here is that Tennessee head coach Rick Barnes is 4-16 against the number in NCAA Tournament games but we will be going against that here. 10* (642) Tennessee Volunteers

This is a play on the HOUSTON COUGARS for our Fri. Sweet 16 Annihilator. Houston got a scare from Texas A&M and it is in a great spot here laying its shortest price since February 24 when it laid 2.5 points at Baylor and while it has not been great when laying fewer than two possessions, all of those were in true road games and while this is not a home game, location matters here. Houston will be the fifth No. 1 seed to play the Sweet 16 in its home state with only St. John’s to lose its Sweet 16 game while the other three all advanced to the Final Four. Houston is not a great offensive team as it is ranked No. 229 in Effective field goal Percentage but does not face a great defense with Duke No. 90 in Effective Field Goal Percentage and the Cougars make up for it as they do not turn it over and rebound excellent, ranked No. 10 and No. 13 respectively in those categories. The Blue Devils had no issues with Vermont and James Madison, winning those games by 37 and 38 points and because of that, the line has been adjusted as the public will think that the Blue Devils are back but now they catch a real test. Duke has a very efficient offense but will be facing a defense ranked No. 2 in Effective Field Goal Percentage and Adjusted Defensive Efficiency and No. 3 in Turnover Rate. The Blue Devils are 5-4 in Quad 1 games with Houston being 16-4 and that disparity is enormous. 10* (646) Houston Cougars

This is a play on the ALABAMA CRIMSON TIDE for our Thu. Sweet 16 Enforcer. North Carolina came into the NCAA Tournament as the lowest No. 1 seed and it is currently rated lower than three No. 2 seeds as it comes in No. 8 overall of remaining NCAA Tournament teams. The Tar Heels easily overmatched Wagner in the opening round and surprisingly rolled over Michigan St. by 16 points to advance to the Sweet 16. They are and always will be a publicly bet team and are laying a short number which will bring more attraction with already 73 percent of tickets and 68 percent of money on them but with very little line movement. This is another contrarian angle play and this is based upon head coach Hubert Davis. The Tar Heels missed the NCAA Tournament last season after their huge 2021-22 run and going back to that, Davis is 8-0 ATS in the NCAA Tournament, being only the third coach to start his coaching career 8-0 ATS or better in the big dance. Alabama has had no issues with its two mid-major opponents as it beat Charleston and Grand Canyon by double digits which is huge for confidence and momentum for a team that limped into the NCAA Tournament with losses in four of its previous six games. Kansas and Auburn are already out as No. 4 seeds so the Tide got a good draw and starting to re-peak after what was an overall great season. 10* (635) Alabama Crimson Tide

This is a play on the SAN DIEGO ST. AZTECS for our Sweet 16 Game of the Year. Connecticut is still arguably the best team in the country as it once again looks unstoppable following its National Championship run last season. The Huskies are a very public team right now and for good reason as they have covered eight straight NCAA Tournament games going back to last season so this is the contrarian move. Obviously, they have not let the big numbers deter their ATS run as they have been able to cover the inflated numbers and linesmakers are now forced to make huge adjustments based on this. The bad news is that this is a horrible spot to be in with 85 percent of tickets and 91 percent of money coming in on them and going back, NCAA Tournament teams with 80 percent or more of the action on their side are 2-11 ATS over the last 19 years. San Diego St. is not getting the respect here as this is a tournament tested team that is looking to make another run to the championship game and the Aztecs are of course doing it with their defense as they are No. 8 in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. They got a scare from UAB but rolled over Yale and while the defense will be tested against the No. 2 ranked offense in efficiency, mucking up this game and making it low scoring heavily favors the underdog, especially a quality one getting double digits. 10* (633) San Diego St. Aztecs

This is a play on the SETON HALL PIRATES for our NIT Signature Enforcer. The NIT can be tough to figure out early on with motivation being a key factor and both of these teams have been locked in. Seton Hall has the benefit of remaining at home where it played its first two games including a 14-point win last time out over North Texas. Additionally, the Pirates come into this game with an extra day of rest to go along with the no travel so there is added prep time. The Pirates are 16-3 at home with half of those wins coming against postseason teams. It has been a tough travel schedule for UNLV over the last week as it opened the NIT on the east coast against Princeton then travelled back home to host Boston College on Sunday and now it is back in New Jersey to face Seton Hall. The Rebels have performed well on the road this season as they are 8-3 but only three of those victories have come against teams that made the postseason in some form while all three losses were against such teams, two by double digits. UNLV has just six Quad 1 and 2 wins while Seton Hall has 10. 10* (622) Seton Hall Pirates

This is a play on the INDIANA ST. SYCAMORES for our NIT Signature Enforcer. There might have been a question with Indiana St. and its motivation following a loss in the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament Championship against Drake and then getting snubbed for an at large berth in the NCAA Tournament but the Sycamores clearly have the motivation to keep their season going. They have rolled over SMU and Minnesota in the first two rounds of the NIT and this is the final home game of the season and it will be fire. Indiana St. is 15-1 at home and with a chip on its shoulder, this will be a tough environment for the visitor. Cincinnati held its own in its first season in the Big 12 Conference but it was still just a 7-11 finish yet the Bearcats got a top seed in the NIT thanks to a decent run in their conference tournament. They won their first two games at home and are now on the road where they have won only four games this season. Additionally, they went 4-11 in Quad 1 games this season with the win at Texas Tech being the only one on the highway. 10* (612) Indiana St. Sycamores

This is a play on the SAN DIEGO ST. AZTECS for our 2nd Round Game of the Year. Yale pulled off the big upset over Auburn and while this might look like a Princeton scenario from last season, it is a different story as it celebrated like it just won the National Championship. The Bulldogs went up against a very good defense against the Tigers and while they put up 78 points, they were outshot from the floor but benefitted from a 21-15 edge from the free throw line which was an anomaly as Yale is No. 332 in Free Throw Rate. The tempo for the Bulldogs is very similar to that of San Diego St. which favors a low scoring game but the physicality of the Aztecs will be the difference. This is the lowest total on the board of all of the Sunday games and for a reason with the style of both teams and experience will play a big part here as well. The Aztecs made it to the championship game last season with a lot of this team still intact and while they would be at a disadvantage playing a team with more tempo that could take over control, mucking up a game against a team that also wants to that heavily favors them. Yale does not turn the ball over but it also does not force turnovers as it is No. 255 in Turnover Rate. 10* (838) San Diego St. Aztecs

This is a play on the GRAND CANYON ANTELOPES for our Sun. CBB Ultimate Underdog. Grand Canyon came through on Friday as the offense did what is does as it was more physical against a physical defense and now plays a team that does not play defense with that style. The Antelopes are very experienced and have the key numbers on both sides where they will want to turn this game to a physical slugfest again. They are ranked in the top five in FTA/FGA rate and are ranked in the top 30 in offensive rebounding as they attack the rim and have the size to excel here and their 36 free throws against the Gaels shows that. Alabama beat a good Charleston team in an up and down game which is in their favor as the Tide are No. 9 in Tempo but the difference here is that the Cougars also prefer that style and this is a completely different matchup. The offense is ranked No. 11 in Effective Field Goal Percentage but go up against the No. 10 defense in that category and the Tide are not going to be able to run as much as they prefer. As mentioned, Grand Canyon gets to the line, ranked No. 5 in Free Throw Rate and Alabama will send them to the stripe as they are No. 319 in Free Throw Rate defensively. 10* (839) Grand Canyon Antelopes

This is a play on the JAMES MADISON DUKES for our Sun. CBB Signature Enforcer. Duke won and covered against Vermont but it was close early as it got the calls throughout as the Blue Devils were 20-of-29 from the free throw line, while Vermont made two of their six free throws. This has not normally been the case as the Blue Devils are No. 148 in Free Throw Rate and as a team this season, they are middle of the road at 72.5 percent. Duke is solid offensively at No. 21 in Effective Field Goal Percentage and the offense revolves around Kyle Filipowski in the screen-and-roll game but James Madison has the interior length to at least slow that down. The Dukes have won 14 consecutive games following a win over Wisconsin and already beat Michigan St. earlier this season in East Lansing so there is zero intimidation. This team is fantastic on both ends of the floor as the offense is ranked No. 55in Offensive Efficiency while possessing an Effective Field Goal Percentage of 54.4 percent. Defensively, the Dukes are top 30 in the latter category and the perimeter defense is the strength as they allow opponents to shoot just 28.8 percent from long range which is No. 5 in the country. 10* (827) James Madison Dukes

This is a play on the OREGON DUCKS for our Sat. CBB Late Powerhouse. Oregon had no issues with South Carolina in the opening round after winning three games in three days to capture the Pac 12 Tournament Championship. Overall, the Ducks have won five straight games and are ranked No. 21 in T-Rank Power Rating since the final game of the regular season with Creighton just one spot ahead at No. 20. This team is still under the radar and no one is buying into the Ducks but they were crushed by injuries all season and are now accustomed to their eight-man rotation led by the inside/outside duo of N'Faly Dante and Jermaine Couisnard. Creighton had no issues with Akron which was expected as it was an 11.5-point favorite and it is the pick of many to make it to the Final Four out of the Midwest Region. The Bluejays have a great defense that is No. 16 in Effective Field Goal Percentage and they do not foul but they are catching an Oregon offense that has regained its form. Offensively, Creighton usually has the big edge down low with Ryan Kalkbrenner but the ducks can counter him with Dante, something many teams cannot. 10* (793) Oregon Ducks

This is a play on the OAKLAND GOLDEN GRIZZLIES for our Sat. CBB Ultimate Underdog. Oakland upset Kentucky in the first round behind 32 points from Jack Gohlke on 10-20 shooting from behind the arc. Many will say he cannot back that up and he likely will not have to as he came through in a game where Horizon League Players of the Year Trey Townsend had an off night and he can be the one to take this one over. The Golden Grizzlies have now won five straight games and 12 of their last 14 with one of those losses coming in overtime to the win was not that much of a fluke. NC State kept its momentum going with an easy win over Texas Tech as the Red Raiders had an awful shooting night and we cannot say it was because of the Wolfpack defense. They are ranked No. 186 in Effective Field Goal Percentage which is double that of Oakland and they will be unlikely to catch another team on a bad shooting night. NC State ran through the Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament to win the championship that included wins over Duke and North Carolina and it is one of the big public teams that is catching the majority of the money again with the line going up. 10* (795) Oakland Golden Grizzlies

This is a play on the IOWA ST. CYCLONES for our Sat. CBB Supreme Annihilator. Iowa St. rolled through the Big 12 Tournament including a 28-point win over Houston to capture the championship and had no issue with South Dakota St. in the opening round. The offense has picked it up of late but the stop unit has now gone nine straight games without allowing 70 points. The Iowa St. defense is suffocating as it is ranked No. 28 in Effective Field Goal Percentage and is No. 2 in the country in forcing turnovers which is not good news for a Cougars team that is ranked No. 109 in Turnover Percentage. We played against Washington St. on Thursday and Drake replicated what it did last season against Miami in the opening round as it led 54-46 with under eight minutes remaining but was outscored 20-7 the rest of the way to allow the Cougars to move on. Washington St. had a solid season but was fortunate against the Bulldogs as it won the scoring at the free throw line 17-6 and shot just 38 percent from the floor. Overall, they do defend well as they are just seven spots behind the Cyclones in Effective Field Goal Percentage but do not force turnovers as they are No. 263 in turnover Rate. 10* (800) Iowa St. Cyclones

This is a play on the GONZAGA BULLDOGS for our Sat. CBB Signature Enforcer. Kansas possibly got away with one on Thursday as a controversial foul on a block in the final minute preserved its lead and the eventual win over Samford which overcame a 22-point second half lead. The Jayhawks shot 60.3 percent from the floor as they were able to score a lot of transition baskets in the first half. The comeback from the Bulldogs was partly aided by the fact Kansas is shorthanded with very little depth and it wore down late in the game in the altitude of Salt Lake City. The No. 4 seed is tied for the lowest for the Jayhawks since 2000 and we think it shows. Gonzaga rolled over McNeese St. as it shot 51.7 percent from the floor and while it has a tougher matchup here, the offense continues to hum along and will be tough to be stopped. The Bulldogs are No. 8 in the country in Effective Field Goal Percentage and the do not give the ball up as they are No. 16 in Turnover Rate. Since March 1, Gonzaga is No. 5 in T-Rate among all NCAA Tournament teams while the regression of Kansas over the last few weeks has shown as it is No. 49 T-Rank which is a huge disparity between a No. 4 and No. 5. 10* (803) Gonzaga Bulldogs

This is a play on the GRAND CANYON ANTELOPES for our Fri. CBB Signature Enforcer. Grand Canyon rolled through the Western Athletic Conference which may not say much but it owns quality nonconference wins against San Diego St. and San Francisco and it has a chance to be one of the double-digit seed to make a long run as long as they play their style. The Antelopes are very experienced and have the key numbers on both sides where they will want to turn this game to a physical slugfest. They are ranked in the top five in FTA/FGA rate and are ranked in the top 30 in offensive rebounding as they attack the rim and have the size to excel here. The biggest edge however is that the Antelopes shoot over eight percent higher from the free throw line. St. Mary's had a great season which included the West Coast Conference regular season and tournament championships. While the Gaels were a perfect 9-0 in true road games, they were 3-3 on a neutral floor and really got a bad draw while also playing on another team not in a travel disadvantage. 10* (787) Grand Canyon Antelopes

This is a play on the TEXAS A&M AGGIES for our 1st Round Game of the Year. Texas A&M was able to play its way into the NCAA Tournament thanks to five straight win before losing to Florida in the Southeastern Conference Tournament with a win over Kentucky sealing the deal. The Aggies are an athletic and veteran team that should have had a better season but had some really bad losses that put them on that bubble even though they were tied in the SEC for most Qua1 wins and most quad 1+Quad 2 wins. Texas A&M led the nation with an Offensive Rebounding Rate of 42 percent which is the highest percentage of an team in eight years and it has a huge matchup edge here against a Nebraska defense that ranks No. 223 in Defensive Rebounding Rate. More recently, Illinois had 14 offensive rebounds while eliminating Nebraska from the Big Ten tournament and in its 10 losses, the Huskers did not outrebound one opponent. This is the first trip to the NCAA Tournament for Nebraska in 10 years so it was a great season but the issue is the Huskers cannot win away from Lincoln. 10* (779) Texas A&M Aggies

This is a play on the NEW MEXICO LOBOS for our Fri. CBB Supreme Annihilator. New Mexico needed to win the Mountain West Conference Tournament to get into the NCAA Tournament and it did just that with four wins in four days all by at least seven points including a victory over San Diego St. in the championship. This is another mis-seeding as the Lobos are the No. 11 seed in the West Region yet come in as the favorite which puts them in a terrific spot. Favorites that are seeded five or more spots higher are 13-2-1 ATS since 2005 and the metrics along that are on their side. Clemson was a major disappointment in the Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament as it was blown out in its opening game against Boston College by 21 points. The Tigers closed with three losses in their last four games and did not beat an NCAA Tournament team since its upset over North Carolina in early February. Clemson actually finished 12 spots below New Mexico in the NET ranking and are No. 11 in the West in T-Rank since January 1. 10* (777) New Mexico Lobos

This is a play on the WESTERN KENTUCKY HILLTOPPERS for our Fri. CBB Ultimate Underdog. Of all the No. 2 seeds, Marquette is probably the most vulnerable for an early exit but in any case, the Golden Eagles are laying too much here. They struggled down the stretch with a 3-3 record in their last six games with the absence of Tyler Kolek in those six games attributing to that. He will be coming back for this game but to what capacity, we do not know as he will not be close to 100 percent while his minutes will be monitored. Western Kentucky won the Conference USA Tournament as it took advantage of upsets along the way but this was still a really good team coming in as it was no. 2 in NET ranking in the conference. While the Hilltoppers did not play a tough Big East Conference schedule but the numbers show that they are excellent on both sides of the ball. They rank No. 103 in KenPom for adjusted defensive efficiency while offensively, they are the fastest team in the country. 10* (767) Western Kentucky Hilltoppers

This is a play on the SAMFORD BULLDOGS for our Thu. CBB Star Attraction. This is not the typical Kansas team we are accustomed to as it had the most Big 12 Conference losses ever in the Bill Self era and the Jayhawks basically gave up in the conference tournament against an average Cincinnati team in a 20-point loss. The No. 4 seed is tied for the lowest for the Jayhawks since 2000 and they will not officially be without Kevin McCullar, Jr., who led the team in scoring not counting the Charlie McCarthy 34-point one off in December with Hunter Dickinson listed as questionable. Samford is a dangerous team that goes at a fast pace and applies a ton of pressure and it will not be intimidated here as it has learned a lot since getting blown out at Purdue in the season opener. This game is being played in Salt Lake City and the altitude could hurt a running team like this but the Bulldogs are No. 3 in the country in bench usage while Kansas is No. 318 in that category. 10* (751) Samford Bulldogs

This is a play on the DRAKE BULLDOGS for our Thu. CBB Supreme Annihilator. We had Drake in this spot last season as it had Miami, who eventually went to the Final Four, on the ropes but were on the wrong eld of a 16-1 run to close the game and lost by seven points. Drake got hot at the right time as it has won five straight games including the last two against Bradley and Indiana St. to capture the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament to gain the automatic big although the Bulldogs might have still snuck in. The represent a conference that as 12 upset wins as a No. 8 or higher seed and the Bulldogs caught a good spot as they are close to home and are in the situation of being a teams that is seeded two spots or more lower than their opponent yet are favored and those teams are 31-22-1 ATS. Drake also has a big edge at the free throw line which is key in a close spread game. Washington St. had a very solid season but went just 3-3 down the stretch and were shipped far away instead of getting to play at nearby Spokane or Salt Lake City. 10* (745) Drake Bulldogs

This is a play on the MCNEESE ST. COWBOYS for our Thu. CBB Tourney Crusher. Gonzaga was on the NCAA Tournament bubble midway through the season as it was not playing well and was in jeopardy of missing the tournament for the first time in forever. But the Bulldogs closed strong yet were overseeded at No. 5 and that shows by this short line and we are seeing a reverse line move with the number slightly increasing despite 84 percent of the money on McNeese St. The Cowboys have the makeup to pull off the upset after going 30-3 albeit against a much weaker schedule. They are elite on offense that lights it up from behind the arc with four starters over 40 percent from three-point range. That is a huge disadvantage for Gonzaga which is No. 185 in defending the perimeter and would prefer straight up. The Bulldogs do not force turnovers so if McNeese St. can perform in its own game and attack when it can, this is an outright upset in the making for the Cowboys which are led by former LSU head coach Will Wade. 10* (749) McNeese St. Cowboys

This is a play on the NEVADA WOLF PACK for our Thu. CBB Signature Enforcer. Nevada got a disappointing seed as it was given the No. 10 in the West Region with a game against Arizona up next should it win. Many feel the Wolf Pack got shafted and despite the higher seed, they are favored and they and are in the situation of being a teams that is seeded two spots or more lower than their opponent yet are favored and those teams are 31-22-1 ATS. The good news about the draw is that they are playing this one close to home in altitude which they are used to and Dayton is not. The Flyers not only were fortunate to get into the NCAA Tournament but drew a No. 7 seed with a lot that based on their No. 23 NET ranking which is considered overinflated from playing in the weak Atlantic Ten Conference. The Flyers were punished with a long trip in the thin air against a team with a chip on its shoulder. Dayton opened the season on fire going 19-3 but finished just 5-4 down the stretch. 10* (753) Nevada Wolf Pack

This is a play on the MOREHEAD ST. EAGLES for our Thu. CBB Ultimate Underdog. Morehead St. struggled in late February with three straight losses but won its last three regular season games and the Eagles ran through the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament. They got a No. 14 seed in the NCAA Tournament but go an excellent draw as their style matches up well. From a roster standpoint, they have an elite point guard, two great scoring wins and a 7-footer down low but is their style. Morehead St. plays at a slow tempo which leads to fewer possessions and have elite transition refusal as it is ranked top 30 in fewest transition points. The Eagles are also in the top 10 in effective field goal percentage allowed while offensively they shoot 35.7 percent from long range. One liability is that they turn the ball over but face an Illinois team that has the third fewest turnover rate in the country. The Illini won the Big Ten Conference Tournament but are overvalued based on seed and conference affiliation and got the worst No. 3 seed draw. 10* (743) Morehead St. Eagles

This is a play on the MICHIGAN ST. SPARTANS for our Thu. CBB Early Dominator. There is the argument that Michigan St. should not have been selected as an at large team for the NCAA Tournament let alone give the Spartans a No. 8 seed. The won one game in the Big Ten Tournament against Minnesota before playing Purdue hard, eventually losing by five points. The Spartans are No. 24 in NET ranking and despite being a public name, they will likely be a fade based on their record and we are seeing 83 percent of early money on Mississippi St. Head coach Tom Izzo has been money in these spots as in NCAA Tournament games with a spread of three points or less, he is 18-9 straight up and 17-10 ATS including winning eight of the last 11 games. Mississippi St. had a great run in the SEC Tournament as it easily ran through LSU and Tennessee before eventually losing the Auburn by seven points in the semifinals. That run has improved the metrics which has affected the line and the Bulldogs come in No. 31 in the NET rankings. 10* (729) Michigan St. Spartans

This is a play on the COLORADO BUFFALOES for our CBB Wednesday First Four Winner. The Mountain West Conference felt it got a raw deal for the NCAA Tournament with two teams, Colorado St. and Boise St., forced to play First Four games and New Mexico and Nevada being handed double-digit seeds. The Rams showed last night this conference might be right but now this is a bad spot for the Broncos. Colorado is a dangerous team peaking at the right time as it struggled midway through the season which was because of injuries to Cody Williams and Tristan da Silva but now the Buffaloes are healthy after having won eight of their last 10 games. Add point guard KJ Simpson and Eddie Lampkin to the mix and this roster is extremely strong. The Buffaloes are great at creating interior half-court offense but still like to push in transition. They are top 35 in both offensive and defensive three-point rate while finishing first in the Pac 12 Conference in defensive rebounding rate. Colorado is also one of the best free shooting teams in the country making this an around dangerous team. 10* (703) Colorado Buffaloes

This is a play on the PRINCETON TIGERS for our CBB Wednesday NIT Dominator. After winning the regular season Ivy League Championship, Princeton bowed out early in the conference tournament in a nine-point loss to Brown. The Tigers will not have a chance to try and repeat their run from last season in the NCAA Tournament but they are still playing and opted to take part in the NIT with numerous other teams opting out. Princeton comes in 24-4 as it had a nine-game losing streak broken in that loss to the Bears and it is back home where it went a perfect 12-0 during the regular season. UNLV needed a run in the Mountain West Conference Tournament as it was squarely in the bubble and lost a tough one against San Diego St. by three points to get relegated to the NIT. The Rebels were not expected to do much this season and it is where it probably should be but they got an awful draw as not only is this is a tough matchup but they are in a tough travel spot having to head all the way to the east coast. 10* (708) Princeton Tigers

This is a play on the COLORADO ST. RAMS for our CBB Tuesday Play In Winner. Colorado St. had its four-game winning streak snapped against eventual Mountain West Conference Tournament champion New Mexico and got put into an undeserving spot in the NCAA Tournament by having to play in a Play In game. The Rams finished No. 36 in the NET rankings after accumulating six Quad 1 wins, tied for most in the conference and have the rare makeup of balance for a low seed as the Rams are No. 38 in the country in defensive efficiency while sitting at No. 42 in offensive efficiency. Virginia was a pure bubble team but got in with the Atlantic Coast Conference being overvalued once again. The Cavaliers are No. 54 in NET ranking and finished below two teams that did not make the tournament and their two Quad 1 wins are ahead of only four teams in the ACC. This is a great defensive team which is an annual occurrence but Virginia cannot generate offense as it is ranked No. 194 in offensive efficiency which is six lowest of all teams in the NCAA Tournament. 10* (671) Colorado St. Rams

This is a play on the COLORADO BUFFALOES as part of our Saturday Evening Three-Pack. Oregon came through for us last night with an outright win over Arizona but the Ducks are still not getting into the NCAA Tournament unless they get a win here. They are still well back in the metrics at No. 67 in the NET rankings and the win over the Wildcats was just their third Quad 1 win all season. Yes, they have caught fire at the right time but not the same as their opponent. Colorado beat a solid Washington St. team last night for its eighth straight win and after coming into the Pac 12 Tournament on the NCAA Tournament bubble, the Buffaloes are in. It never should have been an issue with Colorado No. 26 in NET rankings and have been ranked No. 2 in the conference in T-Rank since the start of February. 10* (636) Colorado Buffaloes

This is a play on the WESTERN KENTUCKY HILLTOPPERS as part of our Saturday Evening Three-Pack. We faded UTEP on Friday and it came away with its second straight upset win as it took out San Houston St. by a bucket. The Miners have now won five straight games and four of those have been away from home which is the surprise as the Miners have won only five games on the highway the entire season, the other coming against California on a neutral floor. The run is not sustainable and this is not the matchup to keep it going. The Hilltoppers ended the regular season on a four-game losing streak but have bounced back with a pair of blowout wins and are undervalued based on their overall body of work. The four losses were by a combined 11 points with three of those being true road games and going back to November, all eight of their losses have been by two possessions or less. 10* (632) Western Kentucky Hilltoppers

This is a play on the NEW MEXICO LOBOS as part of our Saturday Evening Three-Pack. New Mexico punched its ticket into the NCAA Tournament with wins over Boise St. and Colorado St. the last two nights and now playing four games in four nights is going to deter backing the Lobos by some but not here. The Lobos started the season strong and struggled midway through the conference portion but are now back where they were as their last two losses have come by three points combined. New Mexico is now 7-0 this season in neutral court games. The Aztecs needed overtime to beat UNLV and then then easily took out Utah St. last night and are heavily popular today. San Diego St. thrives on turning teams over and taking away the three-point shot by being one of the best perimeter defenses in the country but that is not an advantage here with New Mexico not relying on the long range shot. 10* (623) New Mexico Lobos

This is a play on the ILLINOIS FIGHTING ILLINI as part of our Saturday Afternoon Three-Pack. Nebraska was arguably the biggest surprise team in the Big Ten Conference this season as they finished tied for third place after coming into the season picked to finish No. 11 by Blue Ribbon and their 12 wins were one short of the last two seasons combined. Their home court was huge this season where the Huskers were 18-1 but the highway is a different story with two wins over Indiana and the other coming against Michigan, Kansas St. and Oregon St. Illinois is coming off a narrow win over Ohio St. and it is now 13-4 over its last 17 games since Terrance Shannon, Jr. was reinstated back in late January. The Illini are ranked No. 2 in the conference in NET ranking and their six Quad 1 wins are also No. 2 and the No. 12 ranked offense is now fully packed to make a major run. 10* (612) Illinois Fighting Illini

This is a play on the TEXAS A&M AGGIES as part of our Saturday Afternoon Three-Pack. Texas A&M is making the run it needs to as after a win over Kentucky it is now one of the last four teams into the NCAA Tournament. The Aggies finished 9-9 in the Southeastern Conference which was a big disappointment but they are back in the mix and not fully with a berth, a win here will guarantee that. This is the time of yeah where some small things matter and the Aggies are the No. 1 offensive rebounding team in the country while the Gators are No. 325 in defensive rebounding percentage so second chance points will be a big advantage. Florida struggled to get by Georgia but put up 102 points against Alabama to advance to the semifinals and are now a projected No. 5 seed. Over the last six wins, two against Alabama were impressive but the other four came against the Bulldogs twice, Vanderbilt and Missouri. 10* (615) Texas A&M Aggies

This is a play on the SOUTH FLORIDA BULLS as part of our Saturday Afternoon Three-Pack. South Florida had its 15-game winning streak snapped with a loss at Tulsa in its regular season finale but that was a meaningless game for the Bulls which had already clinched the American Athletic Conference title. They rolled over East Carolina on Friday and the last defeat prior to that run came against UAB so there is payback and they are well up in the metrics in this matchup. UAB is coming off a 12-point win over Wichita St. as the No. 4 seed but they are ranked No. 7 in the conference in NET ranking and are winless in Quad 1 games, going 0-4 as their win over the Bulls was at home and did not qualify for that quadrant win. Two of the Blazers conference wins were in overtime with three other coming by two possessions or fewer so they are catching a short price in a sell high spot. 10* (618) South Florida Bulls

This is a play on the NEW MEXICO LOBOS as part of our Friday Evening Three-Pack. New Mexico may have done enough to get into the NCAA Tournament following a blowout win over Air Force and the double-digit over Boise St. last night. The Lobos are not guaranteed to get in just yet as other conference outcomes could affect their placement but a win here will assume them of the invite. New Mexico is No. 3 in NET ranking in the Mountain West Conference yet is still the last team on the bubble and the Lobos are four spots ahead of Colorado St. The Rams rolled over San Jose St. and pulled off the upset over Nevada last night. Offensively, they have struggled to make shots from the outside consistently since conference play began and shot just 35 percent from long range last night and this is where the Lobos have the big edge and the MWC gets their sixth team into the NCAA Tournament. 10* (870) New Mexico Lobos

This is a play on the MARQUETTE GOLDEN EAGLES as part of our Friday Evening Three-Pack. Providence got its way into the NCAA Tournament with a win over Creighton last night coming after a blowout win over Georgetown, sweeping former head coach Ed Cooley. The Friars had lost three of its previous four games to sit outside the bubble but their sixth Quad 1 win is now enough yet duplicating that will be a challenge and are now getting four fewer points against a near exact rated team. Marquette got past Villanova and now that Creighton is out of the way, the Big East Tournament Championship has gotten a step easier along with the ability to grab a No. 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament. The Golden Eagles are without guard Tyler Kolek but his absence is not worth four points and Kam Jones has stepped up and will continue to lead the offense. 10* (842) Marquette Golden Eagles

This is a play on the OREGON DUCKS as part of our Friday Evening Three-Pack. Arizona came through on Thursday as it rolled over what became an overrated USC team. It was a revenge game for the Wildcats and also a spot where they were trying to show something as they are still out for a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament but now we are seeing a huge overadjustment as they are laying more than what they were against USC and a line that keeps on rising. Oregon snuck by UCLA on Thursday which followed a rough end to the season and no one is buying into the Ducks. They were crushed by injuries all season and are coming off a 2-3 end to the regular season where they ended up finishing 12-8 which was still good for a No. 4 seed and this could be peak time with nothing to lose and we are still getting double digits with a team loaded with talent. 10* (855) Oregon Ducks

This is a play on the WISCONSIN BADGERS as part of our Friday Early Three-Pack. Wisconsin came through for us on Thursday in an easy win against Maryland to put its recent 1-3 and 3-8 runs in the rearview mirror. The Badgers again are favorites despite being a lower seed but they are also well ahead of their opponent in NET ranking once again as the metrics now have them No. 22 in the NET rankings If this team can get that early season confidence back, they have the make-up of a team that can run the table in the Big Ten Conference Tournament. Northwestern had another great season as it finished tied for third place at 12-8 but was just 6-5 over its last 11 games. The Wildcats did lose to Wisconsin when the Badgers were on their hot streak so there is revenge in play but we are not buying into that here with some renewed Wisconsin confidence. 10* (809) Wisconsin Badgers

This is a play on the TENNESSEE VOLUNTEERS as part of our Friday Early Three-Pack. Mississippi St. is coming off a win over LSU on Thursday which snapped its four-game losing streak and is now pegged as one of the last four teams into the NCAA Tournament win or lose here. The Bulldogs went just 8-10 in the Southeastern Conference and notched its 20th win with the victory over the Tigers but their three Quad 1 wins are second fewest of all SEC teams that will be going dancing. Tennessee closed its regular season with a loss against Kentucky but it was not a must win to win the SEC title and the Volunteers still have a lot at stake. They are still in play for a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament and should pass North Carolina with a win here based on strength of conference wins. This is a revenge game for Tennessee as well, losing the lone meeting in Starkville. 10* (820) Tennessee Volunteers

This is a play on the SAM HOUSTON ST. BEARKATS as part of our Friday Early Three-Pack. While San Houston St. may have surprised many by winning the Conference USA regular season championship in its first season with a new head coach, this was a 26-win team from the WAC last season so the pedigree was there. The Bearkats rolled over Florida International on Wednesday and has now won eight straight games and has a great matchup today. UTEP is coming off an upset over Liberty on Thursday and has been playing well in its own right, now having won four straight games. Three of those have been away from home which is the surprise as the Miners have won only four games on the highway the entire season, the other coming against California on a neutral floor. Sam Houston St. won both meets this season and completes the sweep. 10* (816) Sam Houston St. Bearkats

This is a play on the COLORADO BUFFALOES as part of our Thursday Evening Three-Pack. Colorado comes into the Pac 12 Tournament on a roll as it has won six straight games and finished 13-7 in the conference to grab the No. 3 seed. The Buffaloes are No. 2 in NET ranking in the conference and the recent run has punched their ticket to the NCAA Tournament but there is no reason to slow up now as momentum is a huge factor this time of year and seeding improvement is always on the line. Utah advanced with a blowout win over Arizona St. which snapped a two-game losing streak that ended the regular season. The win over the Sun Devils was just their second Pac 12 win away from home. 10* (782) Colorado Buffaloes

This is a play on the PROVIDENCE FRIARS as part of our Thursday Evening Three-Pack. Providence easily took care of Georgetown yesterday and the stakes remain high for the Friars as they need another win for NCAA Tournament consideration. Providence finished 10-10 in the Big East Conference to grab the No. 7 seed while also finishing No. 7 in the NET rankings with one of those wins coming at home in overtime against Creighton and they were getting two points there and are now catching a line on the rise and overinflated. The Bluejays have the team to make a deep run but winning by margin is a different story, especially against a desperate team with an elite defense. 10* (747) Providence Friars

This is a play on the TEXAS A&M AGGIES as part of our Thursday Evening Three-Pack. Texas A&M went into Oxford and jumped out to a 14-0 lead and never looked back as it rolled over the Rebels by 26 points. The Aggies finished 9-9 in the Southeastern Conference which was a big disappointment but they are still alive for the NCAA Tournament but cannot lose this game or they are cooked. The Aggies are the No. 1 offensive rebounding team in the country while Mississippi is ranked No. 359 in defensive rebounding. The Rebels need to win the SEC Tournament and that is not going to happen as they are in a 2-8 freefall and bring in no confidence or momentum. 10* (772) Texas A&M Aggies

This is a play on the OHIO ST. BUCKEYES as part of our Thursday Afternoon Three-Pack. Coaching matters and Ohio St. made a change late in the season to get a recharge and that is exactly what has happened under interim head coach Jake Diebler as the Buckeyes have gone 5-1 in his six games and he has become a candidate for the full time position. The Buckeyes are not dead yet as two wins could punch an NCAA Tournament ticket. Iowa finished 10-10 in the Big Ten Conference following a loss to and a win there would have been huge as the Hawkeyes are still on the outside looking in so this is obviously big as well but the defense has been horrid and that will do them in. 10* (739) Ohio St. Buckeyes

This is a play on the LIBERTY FLAMES as part of our Thursday Afternoon Three-Pack. We are getting great value with Liberty that had a very disappointing season in Conference USA. The Flames were picked to finish first in the conference but got off to a 0-3 start and was not able to recover to a 7-9 finish. This could be a dangerous team now though as the second season is up for grabs behind a deep and experienced team that will be out for some payback as well following a 16-point home loss. That was one of only three wins away from home for UTEP which comes in on a roll with three straight wins but only helps with the number as we have this one at -6. 10* (796) Liberty Flames

This is a play on the ARIZONA WILDCATS as part of our Thursday Afternoon Three-Pack. USC overcame a five-point halftime deficit and pulled away from Washington to advance. The Trojans have won four straight games so they have momentum and are playing with confidence while knowing can beat this team as they handled Arizona at by 13 points in a meaningless game and that will go against them here with Arizona ready for payback. The Wildcats now have plenty to play for, not only because of revenge but for a possible No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament. They are hard to beat when the backcourt of Caleb Love and Kylan Boswell are productive together. 10* (776) Arizona Wildcats

This is a play on the WISCONSIN BADGERS as part of our Thursday Early Four-Pack. Wisconsin was on a 15-2 early season run until it went to Nebraska and lost in overtime and that sent the Badgers in a tailspin. That was the start of a 3-8 ending to the season but seven of those games were within reach late in the game and despite some being critical about making the NCAA Tournament, they are in fine shape but could use some positive mojo. Maryland easily took care of Rutgers on Wednesday which snapped a three-game losing streak and a 2-8 run which landed the Terrapins at a disappointing 7-13 in the conference while going 2-8 in Quad 1 games. 10* (738) Wisconsin Badgers

This is a play on the BOWLING GREEN FALCONS as part of our Thursday Early Four-Pack. Since losing to Akron by 21 points in early February, Central Michigan has not been the same team prior to that when it was on an 8-1 run. The Chippewas have gone 5-3 since that loss which includes a nonconference win against Old Dominion and only one of those victories was by more than two positions while two were in overtime. Bowling Green finished two games behind Central Michigan but comes in favored as the Falcons have much better metrics. They also have some retribution following a pair of overtime losses against the Chippewas during the regular season. 10* (713) Bowling Green Falcons

This is a play on the BYU COUGARS as part of our Thursday Early Four-Pack. The Cougars showed what they can be capable of as they have the balance on both ends as The finished No. 2 in the conference in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency and No. 8 in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency which puts them top 35 in the country in both. Texas Tech was near the top of the Big 12 Conference but faded down the stretch yet did just enough to get a bye in the conference tournament. The Red Raiders finished 17 spots behind BYU in the NET rankings and was ahead of only four teams in the T-Rank since February 17. Much better team on a run at a great price. 10* (751) BYU Cougars

This is a play on the FLORIDA ST. SEMINOLES as part of our Thursday Early Four-Pack. North Carolina won the Atlantic Coast Conference by two games over Duke thanks to the season sweep against the Blue Devils. The Tar Heels have a likely No. 1 seed locked up for the NCAA Tournament and the numbers will be showing that throughout. The Seminoles have the No. 29 tempo in country while forcing turnovers on 20 percent of defensive possessions and they will want to play fast and keep this game disjointed. The Tar Heels struggled in this matchup during the regular season as they won both meetings but by just seven and eight points and the Seminoles will be up for the task. 10* (727) Florida St. Seminoles

This is a play on the SYRACUSE ORANGE for our ACC Tourney Annihilator. NC State finished the regular season with four straight losses which knocked it down to the No. 10 seed in the Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament. The Wolfpack got a good draw in the first round as they got last place Louisville and came away with a nine-point win but it was a fortunate one. They were down at the half and were able to pull away thanks to an overall scoring advantage of 33-1 from the free throw line as the Cardinals were called for 23 fouls. NC State is only one spot below Syracuse in NET ranking but recent charts show a much different story. With a strong end to February, Syracuse has gotten into the NCAA Tournament conversation as a pair of wins, here and then against Duke, which is not out of the question, could punch the Orange a ticket. The recent run is 5-2 over their last seven games and since February 13 when the streak started, Syracuse is the No. 5 team in the ACC per T-Rank. The Orange swept both regular season meetings against NC State both as the underdog and now they are favored and for a reason albeit a very short price. 10* (650) Syracuse Orange

This is a play on the TEXAS LONGHORNS for our Big 12 Tourney Game of the Year. Texas picked up a big win in its season finale against Oklahoma by 14 points to bounce back from a tough loss at Baylor and it finished 9-9 in the Big 12 Conference. The Longhorns are not in danger of missing the NCAA Tournament but a run this week could move them up from their current No. 8 projected seed. Overall, the Longhorns are No. 24 in NET ranking and per T-Rank, since February 10, Texas has been the second-best team in the Big 12, and No. 12 nationally in that stretch so they are playing their best at the right time. Kansas St. is coming off a must win over Iowa St. that kept its slim NCAA Tournament hopes alive but it needs to win here and the next game at the very least but a must win does not always equate to a win. It was not a great season for the Wildcats as they finished below .500 in the conference and 18-13 overall and even that was a fortunate record with Kansas St. going 6-0 in overtime games with five of those at home. The Wildcats are well back at No. 70 in NET ranking. 10* (658) Texas Longhorns

This is a play on the PROVIDENCE FRIARS for our Big East Tourney Enforcer. The run for Providence was not good to close the season as it lost three of its last four games including a season finale loss at home against Connecticut that would have boosted its resume so now the Friars need a run of at least two wins for any sort of NCAA Tournament consideration. Providence finished 10-10 in the Big East Conference to grab the No. 7 seed while also finishing No. 7 in the NET rankings. The Friars went 12-0 in Quad 3 and 4 games and there will be extra incentive facing former coach Ed Cooley and ending the Hoyas season while sweeping the season series 3-0. Georgetown finished 2-18 in the conference with both wins coming against 0-20 DePaul and those two victories were by just four points combined so it was a pretty miserable run for the third straight season for the Hoyas. They will have the incentive to play spoiler but they just do not have the team to match up. The Hoyas are coming off a cover against the Red Storm to end the season but the ATS wins have not come in bunches, going 3-9 ATS after an ATS win. 10* (682) Providence Friars

This is a play on the WASHINGTON HUSKIES for our Pac 12 Tourney Crusher. USC is going to be a popular play based on who it is and how it finished and linesmakers are taking that into account as the Trojans opened as a one point favorite but we have this line Washington -3. USC closed with three straight wins including a home upset over Arizona in the finale but that was not a very meaningful game for the Wildcats. It was a dreadful season as a whole for the Trojans which finished 8-12 in the Pac 12 Conference and the recent play has boosted the metrics as they are No. 5 in the conference per T-Rank since February 1. Washington played spoiler and defeated rival Washington St. to end the Cougars any chance at a conference title and it was also a disappointing season for the Huskies which finished 9-11. With that will come a coaching change as after seven seasons, Washington informed Mike Hopkins he will be fired but he will continue with the program through the end of the season and the players will continue to go hard for him. The Huskies are No. 4 in the Pac 12 in T-Rank since February 1. 10* (672) Washington Huskies

This is a play on the BYU COUGARS for our Big 12 Afternoon Dominator. Depending on who you talk to, some will say BYU is an overrated team that underachieved or believe what the metrics say and they were excellent in a tough conference that can make a run in the postseason. We feels it’s the latter. The Cougars are No. 12 in Net ranking and while they struggled away from home, playing in some of the Big 12 Conference road venues do that. They finished No. 2 in the conference in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency and No. 8 in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency and that balance puts them top 35 in the country in both which is a factor for a national run. Central Florida is coming off an easy first round win over Oklahoma St. following an average first season in the conference where it went 7-11. They do have a defense that has been great and is ranked higher that the Cougars but the offense has been horrible all season as they struggle to optimize shooting opportunities and are ranked No. 258 in the country in effective shooting percentage while being last in the conference in Adjusted Efficiency Offense. 10* (654) BYU Cougars

This is a play on the IONA GAELS for our MAAC Tourney Crusher. Iona closed the regular season with a win over hapless Siena to finish 10-10 in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference as it was a big underachiever. The Gaels had to replace four starters as well as head coach Rick Pitino but were still picked to finish second but ended up with the No. 7 seed in the conference tournament. Iona closed the season on a 1-8 ATS run which adds value to the number here and we are seeing that based on the last meeting. The Gaels lost in Manhattan in the second to last game of the season by 17 points as an 8.5-point favorite and are now laying that amount on a neutral floor in what is a big revenge spot. Manhattan went 4-16 in the conference with two wins needing overtime and another against the 3-17 Saints so the victory over Iona was a total anomaly. The Jaspers lost 11 of those 16 conference games by more than what they are getting on Tuesday and overall are No. 335 in the NET rankings. This team is awful on both ends, finishing No. 332 in offensive shooting and No. 332 in defensive shooting. 10* (620) Iona Gaels

This is a play on the MIAMI HURRICANES for our ACC Tourney Annihilator. Miami is arguably the most disappointing team in the country following an awful finish to the season. The Hurricanes have lost nine straight games after a 6-5 start in the Atlantic Coast Conference with the losing streak starting with a disheartening 60-38 loss to Virginia and the memories of going to the Final Four last season are distant. The good thing heading into the conference tournament as there is zero pressure on Miami and this is a veteran team with a coach with plenty of postseason experience and will be looking to avoid three losses to a team that is not any better. Boston College closed the regular season with a pair of wins over Miami and Louisville to finish 8-12 in the ACC. The Eagles finished right about where they were supposed to but did have one fewer conference win than last season and their seven Quad 2 losses tied for most in the conference. While the offense improved dramatically from last season, the defense regressed significantly as Boston College finished in the bottom third in the country in most significant categories. 10* (615) Miami Hurricanes

This is a play on the OAKLAND GOLDEN GRIZZLIES for our Horizon Championship Winner. Oakland won the Horizon League regular season championship with a 15-5 record and has now advanced to the championship after a win over Cleveland St. that got close near the end after the Golden Grizzlies built an 11-point lead. Oakland also led the conference in NET ranking and it is nearly 90 spots higher than Milwaukee who they swept in the season series and overall, the Golden Grizzlies went 13-0 in Quad 4 games which is where this one falls being on a neutral floor. Following the upset over Northern Kentucky last night, the Panthers are riding a six-game winning streak coming into the Horizon Championship but two of those wins were against 3-37 Detroit and IUPUI and two others against Green Bay which completely collapsed at the end of the season. Milwaukee got 27 points from B.J. Freeman who is the glue of the offense but Oakland counters with Trey Townsend who had a rough game last night but is the Horizon League Player of the Year. 10* (624) Oakland Golden Grizzlies

This is a play on the DAVIDSON WILDCATS for our A-10 Afternoon Dominator. Davidson closed the season with five straight losses to finish 5-13 in the Atlantic Ten Conference and got the No. 13 seed in the conference tournament. Expectations were low coming into the season and the Wildcats finished 15-16 overall during the regular season and will need at least two wins to avoid its second straight losing season and the second one since 2001. Despite the low seeding, Davidson finished No. 10 in the conference in the NET rankings, well ahead of Fordham and they get a good matchup in the first round after sweeping the Rams this season. Fordham had higher expectations after finishing in a tie for second in the conference last season but could get nothing going as it finished 6-12. The Rams did finish right behind the Wildcats in the NET rankings but they were 65 spots lower at No. 184 overall. This team cannot shoot as they are No. 346 in the country in field goal percentage including No. 305 from behind the arc and Fordham scored 70 points or more only three times in its last 15 games. 10* (601) Davidson Wildcats

This is a play on the NORTHERN KENTUCKY NORSE for our Horizon Tourney Crusher. Northern Kentucky went through a three-game losing streak in January-February but has gone 7-2 over its last nine games following a win over Wright St. in overtime on Thursday. The last defeat prior to this run was against the Raiders which was also its last regular season loss to it avenged those defeats. The only other loss for the Norse over this stretch was a one point loss at Milwaukee so there is more revenge on the table with value as we have this number at -3 and it is essentially a win and cover game. The Panthers are riding a five-game winning streak coming into the Semifinals but two of those wins were against 3-37 Detroit and IUPUI and two others against Green Bay which completely collapsed at the end of the season. Milwaukee has the best player on the floor tonight in B.J. Freeman who scored 32 points in his last game against Green Bay but overall, this is not a good offense and faces one of the best defenses in the conference. 10* (858) Northern Kentucky Norse

This is a play on the HOFSTRA PRIDE for our CAA Tourney Dominator. Stony Brook is coming off an improbable double-overtime win over Drexel as it really had no business winning. Stony Brook led for 3:18 in the game, while Drexel held an advantage for more than 40 minutes. The Seawolves led for just 29 seconds in regulation yet they move on and they are the lowest-seeded team to appear in the Coastal Athletic Association semifinal round since Elon advanced as the No. 8 seed in the 2021 tournament. Playing its third game in three days including the double-overtime, fatigue will come into play. Hofstra lost its regular season finale at Charleston in what was a meaningless game for the Pride and they come in on a roll, going 12-2 over their last 14 games following a 15-point win over Delaware on Sunday. They fell down early but used a run to end the first half that carried into the second half and never looked back and experience will pay dividends here. With 20 wins on the season, it marks the fifth consecutive 20-win season for Hofstra and the defense will be the difference here with a more rested team. 10* (854) Hofstra Pride

This is a play on the WEBER ST. WILDCATS for our Big Sky Tourney Annihilator. Weber St. closed January on a 1-5 run but got hot when necessary as it won eight of its next nine games before losing its season finale at Montana St. by 12 points. The Wildcats were locked into the No. 4 seed and now have the chance for immediate revenge with good line value as we have this number at 9.5. That was one of four Quad 4 losses as opposed to 10 wins and the Wildcats not only have the best player in the conference in Dillon Jones but Weber St. leads the Big sky in scoring defense, scoring margin, and turnover margin. Montana St. went 9-9 in the Big Sky Conference and despite the win over Weber St. to close, the Bobcats did not finish strong as they went 3-6 down the stretch. They were above average at home but won only four games on the highway which includes three in the conference but those were against Idaho, Idaho St. and Sacramento St. which were the three worst teams in the conference with a combined record of 16-38. Overall, Montana St. is just 2-7 in Quad 3 games. 10* (868) Weber St. Wildcats

This is a play on the IOWA HAWKEYES for our Sun. CBB Star Attraction. Illinois is coming off a loss at home against Purdue on Tuesday in what was a fairly meaningless game except playing for some pride and being the last home game of the season. The Illini are now in another meaningless game as they have already locked in the No. 2 seed in the Big 10 Conference Tournament with their 13-6 record and will avoid the Boilermakers until the final game should both win their first two games. Illinois is 5-5 on the road and has gone 5-6 in Quad 1 games which is where this one qualifies at. The situation is much different for Iowa and there are currently six conference teams projected to make the NCAA Tournament and the Hawkeyes are not one of those. They are currently one of the last four teams out so a win here would be huge as they have moved in the right direction with wins in four of their last five games, three of which were Quad 1 wins, and the lone loss over this stretch was at Illinois so there is revenge in play as well. Iowa is 13-3 at home which includes wins in four straight and this is the big one. 10* (814) Iowa Hawkeyes

This is a play on the DREXEL DRAGONS for our CAA Tourney Dominator. The top eight teams in the Coastal Athletic Association made it to the quarterfinals with Stony Brook being the lowest rated team at No. 190 in the NET rankings. Only Delaware was close to its record outside of Quad 4 games, where the Seawolves went 17-2, but were just 1-12 in their 13 games in the first three quadrants. They are on a 4-1 run over their last five games but three of those wins were against the bottom of the conference with the other coming against that Delaware team. Drexel is also on a 5-1 run as that six-game stretch to end the regular season clinched the No. 2 spot in the conference with a 13-5 record. All five of those losses were true road games including a stretch to open February where the Dragons had to play three straight road games and against teams that are still playing this weekend. Drexel went 7-10 on the road with just one of those games being on a neutral floor which resulted in a win over Villanova. 10* (822) Drexel Dragons

This is a play on the SAMFORD BULLDOGS for our SoCon Tourney Crusher. We played against Furman yesterday and caught a bad break as Western Carolina led throughout but the Paladins ended up winning in overtime. They were very solid at home throughout the season with a 12-3 record but they are now 5-12 away from home including 2-2 on a neutral floor, the other win coming against Coastal Carolina. Furman is just 6-6 in its last 12 games with two of those wins against VMI and The Citadel. Samford reminds us a lot like Morehead St. as it was the dominant team in the conference throughout the season and is the clear team to beat in the Southern Conference with the metrics ahead of the rest of the bunch by a significant amount. We have this number at 7.5 on a neutral floor so there is a ton of value with this number and the Bulldogs got a weapon back yesterday as guard A.J. Staton-McCray made his return and while he only scored two points in 13 minutes, he averaged 12.6 ppg during the regular season and will be more involved. 10* (828) Samford Bulldogs

This is a play on the UCLA BRUINS for our Pac 12 Game of the Year. UCLA was making a run at a possible at large berth for the NCAA Tournament but that is all but gone. It has been a streaky season in the Pac 12 Conference for the Bruins which opened 3-5 before winning six straight games but has since lost their last five games including a 23-point loss against Arizona on Thursday. Now they go from facing one of the best offenses in the country to one of the worst and UCLA is No. 2 in the conference in scoring defense and shooting defense and now at just 8-7 at home, they want to close the season with a winning record at Pauley Pavilion. Arizona St. has been in a freefall as it opened 4-0 in the conference but has lost 11 of its last 15 games to fall into ninth place. The Sun Devils are just 3-7 on the road following an eight-point loss at USC and while they covered the number, it was inflated and they are getting over a bucket less here against a team better than the Trojans. They do own a solid road win at Utah but the other two were at California and Stanford by five points combined back in December. 10* (732) UCLA Bruins

This is a play on the CSU FULLERTON TITANS for our Sat. CBB Ultimate Underdog. UC Irvine clinched the Big West Conference regular season championship with a win over Cal Poly on Thursday coupled with the UC San Diego loss to UC Davis. The Anteaters improved to 16-3 and coming off the clincher along with their final home game of the season, this game is absolutely meaningless. They are 7-6 on the road which does include a 6-3 record in the conference but four of those wins were against teams with losing records and now face a team with a ton more incentive. It has been a rough season for CSU Fullerton which fell to 7-12 in the conference following a must win loss against UC Riverside on Thursday. With the defeat, the Titans were knocked out of the conference tournament as they cannot reach the No. 8 and final spot so this marks not only their final home game of the season, but their final game overall as they will not be going to any postseason tournament. Close the season right is the goal and against a rival will at least end on a good note and we are getting points on top of it. 10* (722) CSU Fullerton Titans

This is a play on the UTAH ST. AGGIES for our Sat. CBB Signature Enforcer. Utah St. has won four straight games, albeit the last three against the three worst teams in the Mountain West Conference, to maintain its hold on first place, one game over Nevada, Boise St. and UNLV. The math is simple as a win here and the Aggies clinch the regular season conference championship for the first time in 11 years and this was not expected to be the season to do it with no starters back, no returning points on the entire roster and a new head coach. Utah St. is 13-1 inside the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum this season and 27-3 the last two years. New Mexico snapped a two-game losing streak with a win over Fresno St. and it has been a mediocre stretch for the Lobos as they are just 5-5 over their last 10 games after opening conference play 5-2. New Mexico is actually No. 2 in the conference in NET ranking and that is helping with this number and the fact the Lobos are just 2-6 in Quad 1 games, the lowest percentage of any of the top seven teams. They are 5-5 on the road with a one point win at Nevada being the only good one. 10* (714) Utah St. Aggies

This is a play on the WESTERN CAROLINA CATAMOUNTS for our SoCon Tourney Crusher. Furman had a solid midseason run after a rough start because of injuries as it went on a 9-3 run but has since lost three of its last four games and the Paladins closed the season 10-8 in the Southern Conference. They were still very solid at home throughout the season with a 12-3 record but they did go 4-12 away from home including 1-2 n a neutral floor. Furman does have two great guards in Marcus Foster and J.P. Pegues which average 35.2 ppg combined and while we will always stress guard play this time of year, it is if offset in this matchup. Western Carolina finished 11-7 in the conference which was good for the No. 4 seed thanks to winning its final three games. The Catamounts could have actually been a lot better but did have some tough breaks as they lost six of their seven conference games by two possessions or less including two in overtime. This should be a very dangerous team with their top four scorers being guard that average 59.4 ppg, all averaging double digits. 10* (750) Western Carolina Catamounts

This is a play on the MOREHEAD ST. EAGLES for our OVC Championship Winner. Morehead St. controlled first place in the Ohio Valley Conference for most of the season but a three-game losing streak in mid-February brought back the rest of the pack and a season ending three-game winning streak could not lock down one of the two top seeds. The Eagles got the win over UT Martin on Friday where they needed a big second half to pull away in the six-point win. Morehead St. has been the best team in the conference while laying a short price in the championship game as we have this number at -7. Little Rock has been the hottest team in the conference with 10 straight wins after rolling over Western Illinois by 25 points last night. This is the reason the line is lower than it should be but despite the recent run, the Trojans are well behind Morehead St. in the power ratings as they are 75 spots back in the NET rankings and 55 spots back in the KenPom ratings. They pulled out the win in the lone meeting with the Eagles this season but that was at home and by just one point thanks to a 16-4 edge at the free throw line. 10* (771) Morehead St. Eagles

This is a play on the WAKE FOREST DEMON DEACONS for our Sat. CBB Supreme Annihilator. Wake Forest picked up that huge win over Duke two weeks ago which got it on the inside of the bubble for the NCAA Tournament but it is now on the outside as one of the last eight teams out. The reason is the Demon Deacons have lost three straight games since that victory over the Blue Devils and they have been bad losses, all against teams that have losing records in the Atlantic Coast Conference. This includes a one-point loss against Georgia Tech at home which was their first home loss of the season and they remain in Winston-Salem for their final home game and an opportunity for a much needed Quad 1 victory. Clemson improved to 11-8 in the conference with a win over Syracuse in its final home game of the season and it is tied with Pittsburgh for fourth place so this is a big game for the Tigers as well. They are 6-5 on the road and while that includes solid wins at Alabama and North Carolina, it also includes some bad losses. 10* (688) Wake Forest Demon Deacons

This is a play on the LONG BEACH ST. BEACH for our Sat. CBB Rivalry Rout. Long Beach St. had won five straight games to move to 10-5 in the Big West Conference which put it into fourth place but it has lost its last four games heading into its regular season finale. The good news is that the Beach have not lost much ground as they are still tied for fourth place and can clinch the No. 4 seed in the upcoming conference tournament which comes with a first round bye with a win here and a Hawaii loss. Should Hawaii win, they can still clinch it based on tiebreakers but plain and simple, they have to get it done in its final home game of the season where they are 8-4. UC Davis has won two straight games following a 1-4 run that knocked it out of contention for winning the regular season conference title. The Aggies played spoiler in their last game as they defeated UC San Diego to give Cal Irvine the championship. They moved to 13-6 in the conference which is good for third place and cannot move down and likely cannot move up as UC San Diego hosts 0-19 Cal Poly on Saturday which is a very likely blowout. 10* (690) Long Beach St. Beach

This is a play on the DRAKE BULLDOGS for our MVC Tourney Dominator. Drake can make a case for getting into the NCAA Tournament without winning the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament but that will not happen as it will get its spot stolen by a mediocre major conference team. The Bulldogs rolled over Evansville on Friday to get to the semifinals and they come in No. 48 in the NET rankings which is just 18 spots lower than Indiana St. They are 3-1 in Quad 1 games with the three wins being the most in the conference by two and the one loss being the fewest, also by two. Drake won both regular season meetings and beating the same team three times is tough but it is the better team and laying a very short number. Bradley also rolled in its quarterfinal game as it won by 27 points over Illinois-Chicago. The Braves finished 13-7 in the MVC during the regular season and of its 14 total conference wins, only four have been against teams with a winning record and two of those were against 11-9 Southern Illinois. 10* (762) Drake Bulldogs

This is a play on the NEW MEXICO ST. AGGIES for our Sat. CBB Revenge Dominator. New Mexico St. snapped a six-game losing streak with an upset win at Jacksonville St. last Saturday to move to 6-9 in Conference USA and a win here can avoid a last place finish. The Aggies issues this season have been on the road where they are 1-13 but they return to Las Cruces where they are 11-3 with two conference losses coming against Sam Houston St. and Louisiana Tech, the two top teams in C-USA, and the other by one points against New Mexico. This is also a revenge game as the Aggies lost in Miami by 10 points. Florida International is coming off a loss at UTEP to all to 5-10 in the conference but it has been playing a lot more competitive. The Panthers have covered four of their last five games and the one non-cover was just a two-point loss at home against Jacksonville St. and this positive turnaround is keeping this number low. Like the Aggies, there have been road issues as they are 1-11 in true road games and 1-14 on the highway overall. The only road win was against No. 354 ranked Houston Christian. 10* (654) New Mexico St. Aggies

This is a play on the HOUSTON COUGARS for our Sat. CBB Star Attraction. Houston can clinch the outright Big 12 Conference championship with a win on Saturday to help solidify a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament. The Cougars have met the challenge in their first season in the conference as they are 14-3 which is one game ahead of Iowa St. with the two teams having split their season series. They return home for their final game in Houston where they are 15-0 and have won each home game by at least eight points. They Cougars have won eight straight games, their last loss coming in Kansas by 13 points, easily their biggest loss of the season so payback is in order. Kansas won for us on Tuesday in a revenge game against Kansas St. to finish its home season 15-1. The Jayhawks have not been good on the road as they are 3-6 with all six of those losses coming in the conference and most against teams not nearly of the same caliber as Houston. The seven losses in the Big 12 are the most ever under Bill Self and they come in No. 5 in the conference in NET ranking. 10* (666) Houston Cougars

This is a play on the MISSISSIPPI REBELS for our Sat. CBB Early Dominator. Mississippi needs a magical week at the SEC Tournament to reach the NCAA Tournament but it needs to take care of business here. The Rebels are currently the No. 10 seed and a loss here could move them down which means they would have to play a first round game and face one of the top teams instead of getting a bye and playing either LSU, Mississippi St. or Texas A&M. This is the final home game of the season where they are 14-3, the three losses coming against Alabama, South Carolina and Auburn, all of which are 12-5. Texas A&M is 8-9 in the Southeastern Conference following a pair of wins against Georgia and Mississippi St. which followed a five-game losing streak. The Aggies will lose the tiebreaker to Mississippi with a loss as they also lost the first meeting at home. Texas A&M is also on the outside looking in for the NCAA Tournament and also will have to run the table next week but they are just 5-6 on the road this season with the best win coming against SMU in November. 10* (624) Mississippi Rebels

This is a play on the UT MARTIN SKYHAWKS for our Fri. CBB Signature Enforcer. Morehead St. controlled first place in the Ohio Valley Conference for most of the season but a three-game losing streak in mid-February brought back the rest of the pack and a season ending three-game winning streak could not lock down one of the two top seeds. The Eagles ended up with the No. 3 seed and played on Thursday and pulled out a 15-point win over SIUE and while the non-rest should not affect them, they are getting a little too much credit here. UT Martin closed the season on a seven-game winning streak to finished in a three-way tie for first place at 14-4 and was able to gran the No. 2 seed. They were underdogs only twice during this recent stretch and they have been an underdog of this many points only once in conference play which came against Morehead St. at the same number but that was a true road game. They were unable to cover that but now on a neutral floor, there is huge value on UT Martin. 10* (888) UT Martin Skyhawks

This is a play on the SAN DIEGO TOREROS for our Fri. CBB Supreme Annihilator. Pepperdine is getting a little too much credit coming off its 59-point win over 0-17 Pacific whose season thankfully came to an end. The Waves finished 5-11 in the West Coast Conference during the regular season which was goof for a three-way tie for sixth place but lost the tiebreakers so had to play the first round game. The record included a split with San Diego while half of their overall conference wins came against aforementioned Pacific. San Diego had a rough start to the conference season as it opened 0-5 but finished strong as the Toreros 7-4 over their final 11 games with three of those defeats being true road losses. They were one of the five teams in the conference that had winning overall records which was a huge accomplishment after being picked to finish last in the WCC following a miserable 4-12 season last year. Guard play is brought up a lot this time of year and San Diego has an awesome backcourt led by leading scorers Deuce turner and Wayne McKinney III, averaging 29.5 ppg combined. 10* (892) San Diego Toreros

This is a play on the NORTHERN IOWA PANTHERS for our Fri. CBB Afternoon Dominator. Belmont rolled over Valparaiso on Thursday by 25 points for its fourth straight win while also on an 8-1 run. This recent stretch has the Bruins favored despite being the lower seed and have a lower NET ranking. The win over the Beacons pushed them to 12-0 in Quad 4 games, one of only two teams in the Missouri Valley Conference not to have lost a Quad 4 game but they have struggled everywhere else, going 8-12 against the other three quadrants. Northern Iowa comes in on a roll of its own as it has won three straight games and five of its last six which enabled it to get the higher seed and the extra day off. While the run does include a pair of wins over hapless Valparaiso, it also includes victories over Bradley and Drake. Guard play is huge this time of year and the Panthers have two of the best with Nate Heise and Bowen born who are averaging a combined 27.1 ppg. The Panthers also have arguably the best MVC coach in this situation in Ben Jacobson. 10* (872) Northern Iowa Panthers

This is a play on the UC RIVERSIDE HIGHLANDERS for our Thu. CBB Supreme Annihilator. This is a must win scenario for both sides as Big West Conference Tournament bids are on the line and we favor the home team at a short price. UC Riverside is tied with UC Santa Barbara for the No. 7 and No. 8 seeds which are the final two spots but two teams trail by a half-game and one game so the Highlanders need to protect home court. This is their final home game of the season with the season finale coming at UC Santa Barbara so losses in these games will eliminate them. They are 9-5 at home which includes two straight losses and the value is on their side. CSU Fullerton has kept its tournament hopes alive following a pair of wins last week against Long Beach St. and UC Santa Barbara following a 1-6 stretch. This included three straight road losses and while it is 6-9 on the road, half of those wins came against Sacramento St., Pepperdine and Cal Poly which are a combined 24-68. Titans head coach Dedrique Taylor said there is still no timetable for the return of Max Jones who is second on the team with 15.3 ppg. 10* (764) UC Riverside Highlanders

This is a play on the OREGON DUCKS for our Thu. CBB Star Attraction. Oregon is coming off a split last week following a loss in Arizona on Saturday in a game that was over from the start as Arizona outscored Oregon 38-11 from 16:19 remaining to 4:56 left in the first half to build a 43-18 lead. The Ducks are 11-7 in the Pac 12 Conference but that is not good enough for NCAA Tournament consideration at this point with their No. 64 NET ranking so it is going to take a sweep this weekend along with something special in the conference tournament. Oregon is 12-2 at home with the losses to the two top teams in the conference. Colorado is another fringe team for the NCAA Tournament as it is currently one of the last eight teams out so it is in shape to work itself in but there are no more home games and that has been the issue all season. The Buffaloes are 16-1 in Boulder with the only loss coming against Arizona but they are 2-7 in true road games with the wins coming against Washington and USC, both of which posses losing record in the conference. There is revenge in play as well with Oregon losing the first meeting by 16 points. 10* (752) Oregon Ducks

This is a play on the GREEN BAY PHOENIX for our Horizon Tourney Game of the Year. Green Bay was in control of the Horizon League up until the last three weeks as it closed 1-4 to fall from No. 1 to a tie for No. 3 to grab the third seed and a home game in the quarterfinals. The Phoenix lost their first game of this recent stretch by one point against Northern Kentucky while the other three losses were by double digits but those come with an asterisk. First team All-Horizon League guard Noah Reynolds missed the last four games due to an ankle injury but he is back and this is a different team with him on the floor. The recent slump included a 21-point loss to rival Milwaukee to close the regular season so there is plenty of payback in play. The Panthers finished as the No. 6 seed so they had to play a first round game but got a good draw playing Detroit-Mercy which was 1-29 coming in yet only won by four points on their home floor. Milwaukee finished only one game behind Green Bay but the draw puts them at a big disadvantage here and catch the Phoenix at the wrong time. 10* (800) Green Bay Phoenix

This is a play on the SOUTHERN MISSISSIPPI GOLDEN EAGLES for our Thu. CBB Signature Enforcer. Southern Mississippi is coming off a disappointing regular season as after winning the Sun Belt Conference regular season title last season, the Golden Eagles were picked to win it again but they ended up 9-9 to gain the No. 6 seed in the conference tournament. The closed the regular season with a pair of road losses at South Alabama and Louisiana and they have lost five straight games away from home. They opened as the underdog here and have moved to a slight favorite with a veteran team capable of going on a run. Texas St. has been on its own run and opened as favorites as it is riding a four-game winning streak, its second such run over its last 11 games, but the l9ine has flipped. Six of those recent wins were at home however and the Bobcats are coming off their second straight overtime victory, a 92-83 contest against Old Dominion on Tuesday to open the tournament. Despite two recent scoring surges, this is one of the worst offenses in the country. 10* (780) Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles

This is a play on the CSU NORTHRIDGE MATADORS for our Wed. CBB Late Powerhouse. Hawaii is back on the island to close out its regular season with a pair of games this week. The Warriors are 9-9 in the Big West Conference following a win at UC Riverside to conclude a 4-6 road schedule and they come back home where they are 11-6 which includes four straight wins but it laying its biggest number against a team not names Cal Poly which is 0-18 in the conference. There is incentive for Hawaii after losing the first meeting by 10 points but winning by margin will be the challenge. CSU Northridge is a half-game behind Hawaii in the conference standings with the line telling us different. The Matadors got a scheduling break as they were fortunate not to be one of the unlucky teams that had to travel to Hawaii on a Saturday following a Thursday game as it has been off since Saturday. They are coming off two losses at home to close out that part of the schedule but those were against Cal Irvine and UC San Diego which are the top two teams in the conference. 10* (717) CSU Northridge Matadors

This is a play on the MICHIGAN ST. SPARTANS for our Wed. CBB Star Attraction. Michigan St. has not played itself out of the NCAA Tournament but it does need to be careful. The Spartans have lost three straight games including two straight at home and the latest at Purdue by six points. This is the final home game of the season for Michigan St. which was 13-2 prior to the recent losses with those two losses coming against 28-3 James Madison in the first game of the season and the other against Wisconsin early on when the Badgers were playing good before their recent regression. Michigan St. used to own this series but has lost three straight meetings after a 14-point loss on the road earlier this season. Northwestern is coming off its second home loss of the season as it fell to Iowa by seven points to move to 11-7 in the Big Ten Conference. The Wildcats have come back down to earth following a huge start in the conference as they are 5-4 in their last nine games and while this does include wins in their last two road games, those were against Maryland and Indiana, neither of which are tournament teams. 10* (682) Michigan St. Spartans

This is a play on the ARKANSAS RAZORBACKS for our Wed. CBB Signature Enforcer. While it is not quite the same as football, this is a big rivalry and Arkansas would like nothing more than to play spoilers and eliminate LSU from any chance of a slim opportunity of making an NCAA Tournament run. The Razorbacks are back home following a tough loss at Kentucky on Saturday with the defense not showing up and they are 10-6 in Fayetteville wit this being their last home game of the season. Arkansas has struggled against the better teams, going 3-13 in Quad 1 and 2 games but it is 11-2 in games outside those quadrants which is where this game falls. LSU is not really that close to the bubble but has made a move with wins in four of its last five games including victories against South Carolina and Kentucky. Three of these recent wins were by just one point each so things have gone their way and the Tigers remain on the road where they are 3-6 following a win at Vanderbilt in their last game on Saturday. Like Arkansas, LSU has struggled against the top teams for the most part and it is 1-5 in Quad 2 games. 10* (688) Arkansas Razorbacks

This is a play on the SETON HALL PIRATES for our Big East Game of the Month. The Big East Conference looks to get six teams into the NCAA Tournament with both Villanova and Seton Hall both on the right side of the bubble. At this stage, wins in these spots go a long way and this is a big one for the Pirates as they are back home following blowout losses on the road at Connecticut and Creighton. They are 12-3 at home which includes four straight wins and along the way they have has victories against Marquette and Connecticut. There is also revenge in play after Seton Hall lost the first meeting by 26 points in Philadelphia. Villanova was on the outside looking in just three weeks ago but the win over Seton Hall started a 5-1 run with the lone loss coming against Connecticut. However, two of those wins were against 2-17 Georgetown with two others coming against teams not projected to make the NCAA Tournament. The Wildcats are 4-7 on the road but two of those wins came against the two bottom teams in the conference with another coming in overtime. 10* (672) Seton Hall Pirates

This is a play on the KANSAS JAYHAWKS for our Tue. CBB Star Attraction. This is the smash spot for Kansas as it is coming off back-to-back losses to BYU and Baylor and its seven Big 12 Conference losses are the most in the Bill Self era. The Jayhawks are 9-7 and are tied for fourth with BYU and Texas Tech and they are in jeopardy of losing out on the double bye in the upcoming conference tournament. This is the final home game of the season where they are 14-1 with the lone loss coming in their last game in Lawrence against BYU and also playing with revenge following an overtime loss in Manhattan in the first meeting. Kansas St. is coming off a loss at Cincinnati as it trailed big late only to make a huge comeback just to fall short. The Wildcats are 7-9 in the conference and on the outside looking in for the NCAA Tournament as they are 17-12 overall and that is a very fortunate record as they are a perfect 7-0 in overtime this season. The Wildcats average nearly two more turnovers per game than the next closest team in the conference and are tied with UCF for the worst assist-to-turnover ratio. 10* (648) Kansas Jayhawks

This is a play on the VCU RAMS for our Tue. CBB Signature Enforcer. VCU is coming off a loss at Richmond on Saturday by three points to fall to 11-5 in the Atlantic Ten Conference but it still holds down the No. 4 spot. The Rams still have a two-game lead over Massachusetts and with just two games left, they can secure the spot and the coveted double bye with a win here. This is their final home game of the season where they are 13-5 that includes six straight wins after a 0-2 start in their conference home games. The extra game off in the tournament is big to make a run as they will need to win it to gain a berth into the NCAA Tournament. Duquesne is coming off a pair of wins last week including a solid road win at George Mason which secured a first round bye as it has avoided the bottom six spots in the conference. The Dukes are now in a spot with nothing to play for as they cannot move up and have their final home game on deck. Duquesne is 4-6 on the road with the only other significant road victory coming at St. Bonaventure and overall it has just one Quad 1 win. 10* (604) VCU Rams

This is a play on the LOUISVILLE CARDINALS for our Tue. CBB Ultimate Underdog. This is the ultimate contrarian spot with Louisville which is coming off its fifth straight loss to fall to 3-15 in the Atlantic Coast Conference. The Cardinals have failed to cover any of those five games but three of those were on the road and the last defeat was by just six points where they failed to cover by a point. Louisville is locked into the No. 15 seed in the upcoming conference tournament and while it has been another lost season, it has been a good turnaround by already doubling their wins from last season. This is the fist of two final home games for the Cardinals which are a respectable 7-9 on their home floor. Virginia Tech is laying a big number on the road with the only reason being the opponent and not its own success. The Hokies are 1-9 on the road and while the lone win was a decent one at NC State, this is not the spot as they are in the rare situation of being favored on the road where they have lost both games outright at Notre Dame and Florida St. 10* (628) Louisville Cardinals

This is a play on the NORTHERN ARIZONA LUMBERJACKS for our Big Sky Game of the Year. Northern Arizona is coming off a loss at Weber St. on Saturday to drop to 7-10 in the Big Sky Conference and it is back home for its final regular season game in a big spot. Currently sitting in a three-way tie for the six seed entering the conference tournament, the Lumberjacks need a victory as they are battling for the final slot for the first-round bye as the top six teams automatically move on to the second round. 20 of 31 games have been on the road as they come in 7-4 at home including wins in two of their last three games. Northern Colorado bounced back from losses against Eastern Washington and Weber St. with a win at Idaho St. and the Bears have already locked up a top four seed in the upcoming tournament. They are 6-8 on the road which includes a 4-4 record in the conference but only one of the four wins was a dominating one as two came by five points or less against a pair of bad teams while another came in overtime. The Bears have been solid when getting points but just 1-4 as road favorites. 10* (884) Northern Arizona Lumberjacks

This is a play on the NEBRASKA CORNHUSKERS for our Sun. CBB Star Attraction. Nebraska is coming off a nine-point loss at Ohio St. to fall to 10-8 in the Big Ten Conference but are still in line for an at large berth into the NCAA Tournament. Nebraska is back home where it is 17-1 that includes three Quad 1 wins which came against Purdue, Michigan St. and Wisconsin and the issue now is that it can only play itself out with no more Quad 1 games remaining and it cannot lose these fringe Quad 2 and Quad 3 games. this is the final home games of the season and there is revenge in play as well with the Huskers having lost in Rutgers by five points in overtime. The Scarlet Knights snapped a three-game losing streak with a win against Michigan on Thursday to improve to 7-10 in the conference and are well out of NCAA Tournament consideration. Their home floor has been solid once again as Rutgers is 12-4 with one home game remaining to close the season but the highway has been the problem as the Scarlet Knights are 3-7 which includes two conference wins but both of those were against teams with losing records. 10* (850) Nebraska Cornhuskers

This is a play on the ALABAMA CRIMSON TIDE for our Sat. CBB Rivalry Rout. First place is on the line in the Southeastern Conference with Tennessee and Alabama both sitting at 12-3 with three games remaining. The Crimson Tide shook off a bad loss at Kentucky last Saturday with a 15-point win at Mississippi and are back home where they are 13-1, the lone loss coming against Clemson back in November. Alabama has followed up its last three losses with wins including a victory here over Auburn which came after a 20-point loss at Tennessee so there is some payback in play in addition to the top spot in the conference. Tennessee has won five straight games including a big win against Auburn in its last game and this is its first role as the underdog in a month. The Volunteers are 6-3 on the road and while that includes a solid win at Kentucky, the other four SEC road wins have come against the four worst teams in the conference. 10* (772) Alabama Crimson Tide

This is a play on the CINCINNATI BEARCATS for our Sat. CBB Contrarian Closer. It has been a disappointing first season in the Big 12 Conference for Cincinnati as it has fallen to 5-10 following its third consecutive loss in a solid effort at Houston. Two losses have come against the Cougars during its recent 1-5 stretch with two others coming against Iowa St. and TCU, both of which are also in the top four in the conference. The Bearcats are also riding a three-game losing streak at home after opening 12-2 and this is a great bounce back spot to avoid potentially falling into last place. Kansas St. made a run to the Elite Eight last season but the Wildcats have had an inconsistent follow up season. They have won two straight games but that was after a 1-7 stretch and the two recent wins have come at home where they are 13-3 including a win in overtime over Kansas but they are back on the road where they are 2-6 with the only Big 12 win at West Virginia. 10* (746) Cincinnati Bearcats

This is a play on the TEXAS A&M AGGIES for our Sat. CBB Star Attraction. Texas A&M is coming off its fifth straight loss following a defeat at home against South Carolina to fall to 6-9 in the Southeastern Conference. The Aggies are back on the road where they are 4-6 following three straight losses but the last two have been against SEC co-leaders Tennessee and Alabama which came after an inexcusable loss at Vanderbilt and every game is huge. Texas A&M has gone from a likely lock for the NCAA Tournament to being outside the bubble with the latest loss putting them into one of the last eight teams out. Georgia is coming off a tough one point loss at LSU and it has been a miserable stretch for the Bulldogs which are 1-8 over their last nine games after starting the season 14-5. They are now 5-10 in the conference, one of four teams with double-digit losses in the SEC and come into here just 3-13 in Quad 1 and 2 games. 10* (729) Texas A&M Aggies